


Testing Limits

by VariableMammal



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Interspecies Awkwardness, Interspecies Romance, Traditions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-02
Updated: 2016-10-31
Packaged: 2018-08-19 01:10:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 47,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8183087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VariableMammal/pseuds/VariableMammal
Summary: Nick and Judy have been partners for three years. In this time, they have grown close and are there for each other emotionally as well as physically. When the question of just how close they can be comes up, they find themselves hesitant to answer.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just a warning in advance, this fic will delve into much more adult areas that I won't touch in my other works. Intimate acts are explicitly described.

    On a breezy spring day, Nick and Judy walked together in Zootopia's main park. Judy was wearing one of her typical loose, cottony shirts that exposed bits of her shoulders and the form-fitting black top underneath, and Nick had on a shirt with colors so loud that he could be seen from the horizon. Judy was gesticulating; telling Nick a story.  
  
    "And so Bogo gave him the gift, saying it was to help with his stress," Judy said, rotating her wrists. "And it was a ball."  
  
    "A ball?" Nick's eyes narrowed. "Bogo got Clawhauser a ball? Like, one of those squeezy stress balls?"  
  
    Judy's smile grew wider. "Better than that. It was a cat ball."  
  
    "You mean shaped like a feline, or?" Nick paused, his eyes widened. " _No_."  
  
    "Yes!" Judy laughed.   
  
    "Of all the days for me to have to be sick!" Nick looked off to the side, growling lightly.  
  
    "Oh my gosh, Nick, you should have  _seen_ him," Judy laughed. "And the look on Bogo's face when he realized what he had done. Priceless!"  
  
    "You should have got pictures," Nick muttered with a smirk.  
  
    "Well, I still want Clawhauser to consider me his friend, so I abstained," Judy said with a proper, haughty tone, shutting her eyes. "Though I'm sure you could shake Wolford down for a few."  
  
    "That explains why Bogo's been using the 'kitten' gloves around Clawhauser lately," Nick chuckled. Judy laughed along with him, and then the two sighed together. Judy's hand nearly unconsciously found Nick's, and the two strolled along, paw in paw.  
  
    As they went along, a thought crept into Judy's mind, and she looked at their paws as if she just noticed what she was doing. "Nick... why do I keep doing this?"  
  
    "Doing what? Telling funny stories?" Nick chided. "It's one of your better qualities."  
  
    "No, _this_ ," Judy held up her hand, showing them their linked hands.  
  
    "You're a physical person," Nick shrugged. "I've known that for a long time."  
  
    Judy thought about this for a moment. They'd been through a lot together over three years of being partners. Scary cases, sad times, happy times; all of this together. Judy often needed hugs; sometimes Nick's shoulders would be held in such a way that indicated he wanted a shoulder rub, which Judy would oblige. Nights where they would crash at each others apartment, too tired to go home. Or was it...?  
  
    "Nick..." Judy began, and opened her mouth to say more, but paused again. "I uh... do you think we should talk?"  
  
    "Well, we're doing that right now," Nick smirked, but this melted as he saw uncertainty on Judy's face. "About what?"  
  
    "About our... relationship?" Judy looked at him questioningly. Nick felt like his stomach dropped. There was something about that word that always sent him into a panic.  
  
    "What about it?" Nick responded swiftly. "It is what it is."  
  
    "I mean... some of the things we do together, Nick..." Judy pursed her lips and twisted them a bit, letting out a breath. "If we were both the same species, people would think we were together, wouldn't they?"  
  
    "I mean, they might," Nick looked away, but their hands still remained together. "Wouldn't change the facts, though."  
  
    "What are the facts?" Judy inquired. "How do we... ...Nick, am I your girlfriend?" Judy's voice was nearly hushed.  
  
    Nick let out a breath from his nose slowly and looked at Judy. "Well, to deflect this question like I do to my mother, you  _are_ my girl friend." Judy drew in a sharp breath, though tried not to make this audible. "Girl. Friend. With a space in the middle. A girl who is a friend."  
  
    "Oh, okay," Judy smirked. Nick felt a small shot of relief at this. That had gotten a bit close. Judy slowly let go of Nick's hand and appeared to be in deep thought. Nick's teeth clenched inside his mouth.  
  
    "Judy," Nick's brow furrowed a bit. She turned to look at him, her ears perking back up. Nick absorbed a small warmth at this small reaction from her; it never ceased to make him feel important to her. "Listen, you... you tell me you love me all the time. There was that bit where I said 'you know you love me'. You say things like 'I love that fox!' 'Isn't he so lovable'?"  
  
    Judy was quiet for a moment. "I do, uh, kind of say that a lot. I mean. ...I  _do_ love you, though." She looked almost confused at saying this. "I love you? I love you."  
  
    Nick had a very cautious, guarded smile form. "See, when you say it like that..."  
  
    "Huh," Judy sighed. "I guess you're right. I must sound like a kit or something. Like a little kit with a crush. Or some sort of little sister."  
  
    "Where our relationship has gone..." Nick looked up to the sky. "I never really questioned it. I let you lead, as usual. I felt like there was some sort of line I dare not cross."  
  
    "Nick..." Judy looked at him with concern. "How... how do  _you_ feel about me?"  
  
    "Judy," Nick winced slightly. "If I tell you, there's no going back from this."  
  
    Judy's mouth wobbled a bit. She nodded. "I can take it."  
  
    Nick stopped, bowing his head slightly, eyes closed and hands clenching at his side. "I...  _love_ you, Judy."  
  
    Judy felt an anxious warmth in her chest. "Yh-you do?"  
  
    Nick only nodded. He swallowed hard. His voice came out, even: "So then. What now. You lead, partner."  
  
    "Oh, Nick!" Judy rushed over to hug him. Nick didn't seem like he would hug back at first, but eventually he relented and hugged her close, then closer, giving a small squeeze. "I had no idea...!"  
  
    Nick grumbled: "That's because you're a-"  
  
    "Dumb bunny, okay, I got it," Judy chuckled, her voice wavering a little. She let out a shuddering sigh.   
  
    "And I... I don't know how you feel about me, still," Nick looked down at her. "I know what you _say_ , but-"  
  
    "I..." Judy looked down. "I'm not sure what I can say now that I know 'I love you' has lost weight when I say it to you..."  
  
    "Do you..." Nick's eyes shifted away, then locked back on her. "Do you want me to be  _your_ fox?"  
  
    Judy's eyes widened. "Oh, yes! More than anything!" Judy smiled brighter. "You're my best friend; I trust you more than anyone. I can't... I really can't see myself with anyone else but you, for anything!"  
  
    Nick looked impressed. He said only: "Huh."  
  
    Judy released a sheepish grin. "I um... have I like, fallen for you and not even realized it? I must  _really_ be some kind of dumb."   
  
    "If I'm going to be completely honest," Nick began, letting her go from the hug and beginning to walk. "If you did the kind of things you do with me to other guys? I'd be jealous."  
  
    "What, like hugging?" Judy seemed worried. "I'm a hugger; you know that."  
  
    "No, silly," Nick chuckled. "I mean like... when you brush me, or we cuddle on the couch, watch movies and stuff."  
  
    "Yeah, I can't really imagine doing that with someone else," Judy shook her head, looking at her feet as she walked.   
  
    "Guess you are my girlfriend, after all," Nick smirked. "No space."  
  
    "I didn't imagine falling in love would be like this," Judy looked at the sky, stopping and sitting down to stare at it. "I always imagined I'd fall fast and hard for someone, if it happened at all. I knew I'd be focused on my career." Nick sat next to her and drew his arm around her. She easily melted against him, finding his closeness pleasant.  
  
    "We foxes are sneaky like that," Nick smiled, to Judy's light laughter. He put his other hand on his own chest. "My heart's beating so fast. I'm glad it's not winter anymore."  
  
    "Why?" Judy blinked.  
  
    Nick huffed in amusement, and this devolved into light giggling. "It's um... I guess what you would call fox horny time."  
  
    "Oh!" Judy's ears started to feel warm. "Guess... guess so! ...You, uh... do you think about me in that way?" Nick was silent and didn't meet her gaze. "Okay, you would have said 'no' by now." Nick and Judy both chuckled awkwardly.  
  
    "Let me first excuse myself by saying you're very attractive," Nick swallowed. "Plus, like I said, sometimes it's in our biology to have, uh, frisky thoughts."  
  
    "Don't you pull the 'biology' card on ME, Mister," Judy smirked deviously at him. "Not after what  _we've_ been through."  
  
    "I really can't help it sometimes, though...!" Nick whined, his tail waving behind him nervously. "All those...  _signals_ you put out."  
  
    "Oh my goodness," Judy put a hand to her chest. "Do I really flirt  _that_ badly...?"  
  
    "Not only the signals you can _control_..." Nick winced. Judy looked at him, baffled, and tilted her head. Nick touched his finger to his nose and sniffed once.  
  
    "Oh no..." Judy's pupils shrunk in horror. "Yh-you can  _smell_ that...?"  
  
    "I can," Nick nodded. "And I have. You smell nice. ...Really nice."  
  
    Judy's thoughts felt scrambled. "And uh- is that why you sometimes shift around me?"  
  
    "So I'm not downwind of you, yes," Nick admitted.  
  
    "Nick, I..." Judy felt at her extremely hot ears. "Why have you never  _told_ me?"  
  
    "Uh, it's impolite?" Nick chuckled. "Just like I wouldn't expect you to point out if I had, say, a bulge in my pants."  
  
    Judy put a paw to her mouth, stifling a giggle. " _Have_ you? Around me?"  
  
    "I... can't remember," Nick lied, his voice shifty.  
  
    "Wow, okay, I may be a dumb bunny, but that was a pretty poor attempt at a lie," Judy laughed.  
  
    "That's... that's another thing, Judy," Nick put his hands on his legs. "How far is this going to go?"  
  
    "How far...?" Judy's voice trailed off into a small squeak.  
  
    "Excuses or not," Nick grit his teeth. "We both get certain urges, right? Are we going to... take care of each other?"  
  
    "Whoa... um..." Judy's nose started twitching. "This got real very quickly."  
  
    Nick nodded, sighing. "That's what I was afraid of: going too fast; ruining things."  
  
    Judy placed her paws on Nick's face and turned his muzzle to look at her. "We won't go too fast. We're basically made for each other." She looked away slightly, then turned to look at him again, nodding. "I believe that. We're perfect for each other." Nick blinked, feeling a deep surge of affection for this small, forceful bunny.  
  
    "Can I kiss you now?" Nick asked in almost a whine.  
  
    "Please," Judy smiled. The two kissed, rather softly, sitting there on the park with each other. A few mammals passing by gave them lingering glances, one or two stopped to stare, but no one dared approach, and as for them, they didn't care or notice anyone but each other.  
  
    Judy released the kiss. "That was pretty good."  
  
    "There's more where that came from," Nick smirked.  
  
    "Ah, finally, there he is," Judy mirrored his smirk. "My fox resurfaces."  
  
    "If you keep kissing me, that's not the only thing that's going to surface," Nick warned in a sultry voice.  
  
    "Okay, okay," Judy giggled. "Whew, my pulse is racing..." She let up off him, standing back up. "So, ah, maybe we should go to your place?"  
  
    Nick got up, sniffing a couple of times. "I'd follow you right off a cliff with you smelling like that..."  
  
    Judy's ears blushed, and she nibbled on her lip. She was excited, but worried; she had no idea what she was getting herself into, and for Nick's part, neither did he.


	2. Chapter 2

    Nick's tail whipped behind him furtively as he planted kisses and small licks over Judy's face. She gave pleasant hums as the two of them relaxed on the couch in Nick's apartment and took turns kissing each other. When Judy's turn arrived, she kissed all over his muzzle and nose, planting kisses along the long line of his lips.  
  
    "Mm..." Nick offered. Feeling emboldened by Judy's sounds and smells, Nick felt his hand trying to sneak up the bunny's shirt. Judy allowed this; allowed him to feel over her midsection, her stomach fur, her chest fluff. "Nh... you're soft."  
  
    "Okay, okay okay," Judy gasped and then breathed out, feeling a surge of passion from the sudden directness of the fox. The feelings threatened to spiral out of control once she felt the tingle of his claws running across her fur. "Okay wait! Wait wait...!"  
  
    "Mhn!" Nick sputtered. "Yes, sorry!" His hand swiftly but carefully snaked out of Judy's personal space and Nick felt his eyes darting around and breaths quickening. "Got a little carried away there."  
  
    "No, I- I mean, it was nice," Judy panted. "It's just-"  
  
    "Too fast?" Nick nodded. "Too fast."  
  
    "Nick..." Judy breathed out, giggling. "It's your claws."  
  
    "Oh, right, gotta be careful of those," Nick looked at his paws.  
  
    "They felt nice," Judy protested. "It's just, yeah, I guess maybe it was too much. What a rush!"  
  
    Nick placed his hand on his forehead, trying to collect his thoughts. "Wow, I mean... wow." He sniffed the air. "I think that did really do something to you. Mm." He sniffed again, seemingly as if he was trying to hang onto her scent.  
  
    Judy smiled, feeling flattered by this, but also a wave of apprehension. "S-sorry, Nick. It must be frustrating for me to be the one that suggested we go farther, just to yank myself away..."  
  
    "No, no, shh," Nick put his finger on her mouth. Her eyes crossed to look at it. "Like I said. I'm okay with going however slow we need to."  
  
    "You  _say_ that, but," Judy's eyes took a guilty look at his pants. "I feel like not all of you agrees with that."  
  
    "Don't worry about the other tod," Nick rolled his eyes. "I can take care of him."  
  
    "Y-you can, huh?" Judy's ears were swiftly warming up.  
  
    "Yeah, it's no big deal," Nick huffed, trying not to pant.   
  
    Judy bit her lip. "I uh... I get you that way, huh?"  
  
    Nick groaned, sitting back. "Oh yeah."  
  
    "I kind of like that..." Judy's voice was uncharacteristically meek. "Knowing I can turn you on."  
  
    "Careful what you do with that knowledge, Judy," Nick smirked at her. "You can get me like this without even really trying that hard, so if you do try, mm... it might be 'bad'." Judy gazed over the slightly addled-looking fox and the tightness his pants were exhibiting.  
  
    "Can I see it?" Judy almost whispered.  
  
    "Well, it looks like your curiosity hasn't abated!" Nick flashed his teeth in nervousness. "But you know what they say about curiosity."  
  
    "I'm not a cat, so I should be fine," Judy grumbled, smirking.   
  
    "Are we really going to do this?" Nick seemed reluctant. "A 'you show me yours' type of deal, like we were naughty teenagers or something?"  
  
    "I mean, to be honest, I do kind of feel like we act like unruly kits sometimes," Judy giggled.  
  
    "I suppose you have a point," Nick said, continuing to stall.  
  
    "You  _can_ just say no, Nick," Judy smiled at him.   
  
    "It might be safer for the guy if I actually give in, though," Nick admitted with an unsure lick of his nose. Judy gasped in excited anticipation as she saw him loosen his pants and boxers and let 'the other tod' out. Nick's ears were hot as he was exposed, since he felt the bunny's wide eyes all over his heretofore unseen area.   
      
    "So..." Judy said, at a loss, "so that's it, huh?"  
  
    "'That's it'?" Nick repeated incredulously. "That's not the greeting to it I was expecting."  
  
    "Sorry!" Judy squinted her eyes and winced. "I was just worried it would be a lot bigger."  
  
    "Wow, you're killin' me, here," Nick's eyes half-lid.   
  
    "No no no!" Judy waved her hands. "I mean, I've kinda like, been thinking of the logistics of, y'know..." Judy sheepishly placed her index finger into a circle formed by her thumb and index finger of the other hand.  
  
    "Ah, right, of course," Nick breathed out.  
  
    "I mean, it is quite big by bunny standards," Judy said, then her eyes started to dart around. "I mean, not like I often go looking for things like that."  
  
    "So you've never seen a fox's then?" Nick wondered. "Not even a curious bunny like you?"  
  
    "Nope," Judy admitted. "Kinda... redder than I thought. And that tip... and uh, that bulby bit near the base..." Judy put her paws over her eyes. "Gosh, I  _am_ just a child."  
  
    "It's okay to be intimidated," Nick said with an air of confidence. Judy rolled her eyes, chuckling. Nick pulled his boxers back up and buttoned his pants.   
  
    "My turn, huh?" Judy smiled nervously. Nick shrugged, but nodded. Judy pulled down her own pants and panties, and hesitating only a little, spread her legs a bit. Nick gazed at her, absently nodding. "W-well...?"  
  
    "Would you kill me if I said it was cute?" Nick instinctively flinched. Judy smiled wryly and gave a gentle thrust of her foot into Nicks side. He chuckled. "I think we can work with that. And if not the 'traditional' way, there are... other ways." Nick purposefully licked his muzzle and Judy's eyes went wide. Nick then sniffed. "Whoa." He sniffed again. "Wow. That's the first time I've gotten such a direct hit from you. That smell's... mm, it's impossible to describe..."  
  
    "Good...?" Judy hoped.  
  
    "Very good, to understate it..." Nick nodded.   
  
    Judy closed her legs and redressed. "Is it weird that I don't think that makes much sense? A fox liking a bunny's scent?"  
  
    "Ah, smart bunny," Nick waggled his forefinger. "Use science to kill the mood so we don't turn into horny lustballs on our first experiment."  
  
    "I mean, that's not entirely in jest," Judy narrowed one eye.   
  
    "You're a prey... I'm a predator," Nick said. "Maybe it's not nature's intended way of me being 'attracted' to your scent, but it does make me 'hungry'."  
  
    "Oh gosh," Judy squeaked. She started to breathe a little quicker. "I don't think I'm ready for this."  
  
    "No, I'm pretty sure I'm not either," Nick laughed. "We're both caught up in this... this-"  
  
    "Exploration?" Judy finished. "It feels like I'm being pulled taut... we could snap at any moment..."  
  
    "Me too... and if that happens, I don't want to hurt you..." Nick nodded. "I think we should test our limits, first."  
  
    "Yeah," Judy nodded. "Maybe I should go for now."  
  
    "As much as I'd want you to stay..." Nick smiled sadly. Judy walked over to him as he got up and kissed him. The kiss was tender, but it quickly grew very heated; Nick's much bigger tongue dancing across the small lapine's tongue." The two hummed in desire before both deciding to break the kiss. "Too hungry. I'm too hungry for you right now, Judy."  
  
    "Yeah, but I like knowing that," Judy's breaths came quickly. "Sorry to only tease you with a scent tonight... I'll let you taste me soon enough."  
  
    "Ngh...!" Nick grunted, baring his teeth and inhaling through them. "You're so _hot_ , Judy..."  
  
    "Goodnight, Nick," Judy kissed his nose, then retreated from his apartment, her hips swaying purposefully as she left. She winked at him as she closed his door.   
  
    Judy hadn't even exited the building before Nick started to disrobe to take care of his 'little tod'.


	3. Chapter 3

    Judy sat on Nick's bed, her feet twitching anxiously, paws daintily in her lap. Nick had just excused himself from the room, leaving Judy bewildered and nude by herself. She wondered if she had done something wrong; their playing had gotten a little hot and heavy again, perhaps she went too far? Nick's expression was unreadable as the red fox left; and Judy found herself dwelling on the matter. She ran her paw up and down her arm, unsure of what to do. Her ears were drooped and her nose was starting to twitch.  
  
    Nick entered the room, smiling at the pensive-looking gray bunny. Judy's eyes slowly widened as the unclothed fox approached. Her brow furrowed as she noticed he had a nail file in his paws.  
  
    "I said I'd be right back," Nick chuckled warmly, filing his claws carefully. He couldn't make them too short, but he was blunting and rounding them off to look rather nonthreatening.  
  
    "What are you- oh," Judy blinked as sudden realization passed into her, and a thrill shook her. Nick just smirked his smug smirk at her, looking into her eyes meaningfully.   
  
    "Don't want to hurt you; that's the farthest thing from my mind," Nick continued his task. Judy felt her breath quicken just a little bit as he worked on his claws. She didn't think such a simple act could be exciting her, but it was. She could tell from Nick's deepening breaths through his nose that he noticed. She almost felt like closing her legs together tightly, but the effect she could have on him was almost shamefully thrilling to her.  
  
    "So what, you're not going to use your tongue?" Judy tried a tone of mock-disappointment, but her voice almost cracked as Nick set the nail file down and ran his thumb over the rest of his fingers, testing the claws.   
  
    "What, this?" Nick said, lolling his tongue out. Judy took in a shuddering breath at its mere size compared to a lapine's tongue. She had already imagined just what that tongue would be capable of, and she squeaked as he was suddenly upon her. Nick pressed her back against his bed, and took one long lick from her midsection all the way up to her neck.  
  
    "Oh gosh oh gosh oh gosh!" Judy whined swiftly as she felt the lash of the tongue against her fur. She let out a shaky breath and tried to loosen her clenched hands. She drew in a gasp through her teeth and her eyes squinted shut.  
  
    "Seeing the effect that just one of those licks has on you, maybe we should wait on that, hm?" Nick kissed one of Judy's perked ears, which felt very warm on his lips.  
  
    "Maybe...!" Judy managed in a weak, high-pitched voice. Judy tried to calm her breaths as she felt Nicks hand place itself on her stomach's fur, caress here, and move lower. "Mmh..." Nick's hand teasingly danced around the bunny's thighs, causing them to twitch. Nick kept at this for a bit longer than Judy liked, causing her to squirm. "Oh, you would...!"  
  
    "I can't help myself," Nick grinned. "Teasing you is what I do best, and it smells like you like it so much..." Nick gave a naughty chuckle as he brought just one finger closer to his goal. "How often do you visit the bunny burrow yourself, Judy?"  
  
    "Nick..." Judy huffed. "Every once in awhile. You know, when there's the itch and all..." Nick gently touched the lips of Judy's most intimate area with the back of his finger, letting the brown fur brush the warm pink. "Oh..."  
  
    "I have to wonder," Nick mused in his infuriatingly conversational voice as he added another brush or two. "Do I ever cause you to get that itch?"   
  
    "Yes..." Judy murmured as she felt the fox's finger fur stroking her.  
  
    "Sorry, 'yes' I drive you to distraction or 'yes', what I'm doing to you feels good?" Nick chuckled.  
  
    "Yes!" Judy said louder, adding a giggle.  
  
    "Glad we cleared that up," Nick smirked, continuing to rub up and down Judy's slit, nudging the lips aside at times, working his way over her 'burrow' with seemingly practiced nuance.  
  
    Judy's ears felt like they were blazing as Nick treated her to his pleasuring ministrations. She didn't dare to wonder where he might have picked up such skill; definitely not on any other bunnies, she figured. She'd always fantasized herself taking control when the two finally got intimate, tugging Nick's tie, slamming him on the bed, and demanding pleasure from him in the most sordid ways possible. But now that the time had actually come, she found herself a meek little prey to an experienced, hungry predator. She was quite a bit younger than Nick, after all. She had her legs completely apart now in surrender to the fox's wandering finger, and feeling herself so open and trusting to him sent her feelings surging at each new touch from Nick.  
  
    "What a juicy little bunny," Nick remarked as he saw what effects he was having on her.  
  
    "Oh my gosh," Judy's voice was deadpan. She folded her ears in front of her face and let go, where they instantly sprang back up. "Please tell me our pillow-talk isn't always going to be like this."  
  
    "I'm hoping it'll get much worse," Nick admitted with a large grin. "Hmm..." Nick turned his finger over, letting some of Judy's aroused moisture onto the pad of his finger, then used that to press and rub against Judy's entrance.   
  
    "Hhh!" Judy's hands scrambled to find some bed sheets and gripped them.  
  
    "Too much?" Nick withdrew the finger in caution.  
  
    "Nh-no, that just feels... indescribable," Judy shivered, and gasped again as Nick replaced the finger, pressing the pad against her. She'd always wondered about his paw pads until she got to feel them. She imagined them rough and callous, but they were actually warm and yielding. She felt her pleasure about to spike from Nick's investigations. "Hh... N-Nick."  
  
    "S'my name," Nick nodded. His tail flicked as he carefully continued to please the slowly writhing bunny.  
  
    "Nick, I- hnh...!" many of Judy's muscles contracted in an involuntary reaction as waves of ecstasy wracked her body. Judy's eyes were shut tight, her mouth in a grimace as her feelings were brought to a climax. "Uh!" Nick smirked as her sex twitched a bit as proof of his success to bring her to this point. Seeing her so thoroughly delighted was one of his fondest wishes. He had, though, always wondered what her orgasm would  _smell_ like, too. He found he liked it a lot. His tail swished about rapidly. "Guh...!" Judy released a held breath and began to pant, then slapped her paws over her mouth and began to moan into them, her eyes still tightly shut.  
  
    "Wow," Nick let out a low, appreciating hum. He gazed over her pleasure-gripped form and took special note of how her feet seemed to twitch. "That is  _incredibly_ hot... but uh... why not just let it take you, honeybunny?"  
  
    Judy blinked as the contractions slowly waned and she was released from her exquisite delight. "I um... yeah, oh yeah." She laughed nervously. "Sorry, I'm used to kind of having to hide... you know, what I might be doing. Thin walls at my place, you know..."  
  
    "Ah ha..." Nick nodded, "wouldn't want the neighbors to hear the bunny scratching her itch..."  
  
    "Would you stop?" Judy managed an exhausted laugh.  
  
    "Oh, certainly," Nick withdrew his hand from Judy.   
  
    "C'mon, you know I don't mean _that_ ," Judy murmured in a haze, her paws wrapping around Nick's wrist and trying to bring his hand back in.  
  
    "What, you want another one?" Nick grinned, starting to pet her legs and feet.  
  
    "Uh huh, I think I could go for round two," Judy stretched out and let out a luxurious sigh. Nick treated his eyes to this. "I mean, if you want."  
  
    "Only if you moan nice and loud for me this time," Nick said, giving a soft, furtive growl.  
  
    "Nick..." Judy rolled her eyes, but her ears felt very hot as she processed this demand. She looked a bit unsure and added: "You want me to?"  
  
    "Of course," Nick flashed a wicked smile. "I want to hear this bunny lost and helpless to the fox feasting on her..."  
  
    Judy didn't have a response to this; she just gaped at him. Nick licked his lips. She shivered involuntarily, and her eyes caught sight of how she was causing his own arousal to become irrefutably evident. She took a nervous breath, and tried a slow smile. She honestly didn't know what Nick might do next, and the thought thrilled her.  
  
    "Mm..." Nick made a show of closing his eyes and sniffing the air near her waist. "You certainly  _smell_ ready for round two..."  
  
    "Oh gosh..." Judy squeaked out.


	4. Chapter 4

    Judy drove Nick around Sahara Square as a part of their beat for the day. Their otherwise normal morning routine had been unusually quiet for the two, and the uncomfortable silence seemed completely settled into the cabin of the cruiser. Judy tapped her fingers against the steering wheel at a red light and looked briefly at Nick.  
  
    "So..." Judy said slowly, though she didn't really have anywhere else to go with that word.  
  
    "See? This is what I was afraid of," Nick made a sweeping gesture with his hand abruptly, as if he was a coil suddenly sprung. "Everything's different now."  
  
    "What?" Judy's eyes fully opened, looking at him, then tearing her eyes away to look back at the red light. "What? No it's not! Everything's fine; just the same!"  
  
    "The last time the cruiser was this quiet between us was when one of your uncles died!" Nick accused, folding his arms. "I knew things would change, I just knew it. Yet I did it anyway. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid!" To punctuate his words, he smacked his tightly-held fingers into his forehead.  
  
    "Nick!" Judy said in a high tone. "Come on! I egged you on like crazy!" She grit her teeth as she had to pay attention to the road. "I... um... I'm sorry I didn't 'take care' of you...? That was kinda... selfish of me."  
  
    "You weren't ready," Nick folded his arms and shook his arms. "That's totally fine. Maybe I wasn't ready to do those things to you."  
  
    "Nick... where else could things really go between us?" Judy tried a sweet smile, still looking at the streets. "We love each other, right? I'll get there for you, I promise."  
  
    "Yeah..." Nick sighed. "Like I said, there's no problem waiting."  
  
    "Come on," Judy said, rolling her eyes and shaking her head. "You can't have the patience of a saint. Next time let me watch you release the tension, huh? Maybe I could get more used to the idea that way."  
  
    "S-sounds fun," Nick chuckled. "And listen, Judy, my life was in a rut for just over two decades, and you turned it all around within a year. Do you think I can't wait a bit longer for your touch? After all we've been through? After what you mean to me?"  
  
    Judy was quiet for quite a long time after this. Nick placed his hand on his chest, feeling his own accelerated heartbeat. Maybe that had been a little much to say after what he did for her that last night.  
  
    "Nick, I-" Judy stammered, seeming to fumble for her words. She put on a nice, true smile, her teeth slowly showing. "I um... you know, with you saying _that_ , it kinda makes me want to just unzip you right now at the next red light." She giggled.  
  
    "Carrots, don't even play around like that!" Nick flinched, and Judy laughed louder. "That would get us fired faster than you can say 'that's all, folks!' As it is we're already treading on thin ice." Judy sighed pleasantly. She found herself catching her old nickname less often; usually just when Nick wanted to chide her or was surprised. She found she still appreciated it in some way she couldn't quite articulate.  
  
    "What? How so?" Judy sniffed at the air. "I don't smell anything unusual at all."  
  
    " _Exactly_ ," Nick pointed at her. "We've used so much scent-blocker that now there's essentially a giant  _hole_ in our scent profile." Judy's face scrunched a bit in confusion. "I mean, that might not mean much to you, but to someone like Wolford? Very suspect. People are going to talk, Judy."  
  
    "Aw, you're worried? There's always excuses we could make about that," Judy chuckled. "Maybe not entirely plausible ones, but..."  
  
    "I mean, Wolford especially, I think he already knows," Nick clicked his tongue.  
  
    "Really...?" Judy winced.  
  
    "He's sort of like a secret collector," Nick said, gesturing with one hand. "He told me he keeps a book of scent anomalies around for a 'rainy day'."  
  
    "Oh, _cheese_ ," Judy blurted. "I guess we shouldn't get on his bad side if he's gathering blackmail material, huh?"  
  
    "A completely foreign concept to you, I'm sure," Nick's voice dripped with sarcasm.  
  
    "Ha ha," Judy said lightly, tilting her head left and right. "Well, blackmail ended up getting me a nice fox, so I hope you don't expect me to apologize."  
  
    "What 'nice fox' are you talking about, Judy?" Nick laughed. "Are you cheating on me?"  
  
    "Never!" Judy boldly declared, but then softened up slowly. "Never... Nick."  
  
    "Aw, we had just gotten it light and happy again," Nick whined.  
  
    Judy smiled softly. "I don't want anyone else to make me feel the way you made me feel last night. I don't want to cry out anyone else's name. I don't want to desire anyone else's touch."  
  
    "You liked my 'tease and please' techniques then, huh?" Nick's voice was still wry; he was trying to make Judy lose her serious edge.  
  
    "And so help me, once I get a hold of that tod of yours," Judy smirked and her brow furrowed intently; she tightened her hands around the steering wheel very firmly. "I'll make sure you won't be able to think about any other female but me."  
  
    Nick gulped, his eyes widening. "You know you're not supposed to grip it that tight, right?"  
  
    "Oh, I know," Judy said airily. She laughed, and Nick did too, but his laugh was more nervous.  
  
    "That's another thing, Judy," Nick held a curved finger up. "Maybe we shouldn't take the flirting this far when we're at work, even when we're alone. I feel like all the scent-blocker in the world wouldn't be able to hide your attraction to me once we get to talking about things like this."  
  
    "Wouldn't you think you're a little bit biased?" Judy smirked, huffing in amusement. "I think you're kinda smelling for it."  
  
    "Maybe, but just remember wolf noses are  _better_ than mine," Nick reminded her.  
  
    "Okay, I'll try to stop flirting with you on the job," Judy rolled her eyes. "Thought that's kind of like asking a fish to stop swimming."  
  
    "Tell me about it," Nick chuckled. "Oh, also. There's the Clawhauser factor to consider."  
  
    "Ugh..." Judy suddenly looked crestfallen. "Clawhauser...!" She sneaked a brief glance to Nick while she drove. "You think we should tell him?"  
  
    "And then what?" Nick laughed. "Expect him to keep it a secret? I can ask a balloon not to pop if I poke it with a needle, but..."  
  
    Judy laughed. "I guess you have a point. His squeals can make me cringe from clear across the ZPD, whether its over Gazelle or _donuts_. We should tell him  _after_ we're married."  
  
    Nick fell quiet. "Marriage, huh?"  
  
    "Oops, I did say that, didn't I?" Judy let out a breath. "You wanna do that sometime?"  
  
    "Judy!" Nick laughed. "Please tell me you didn't just ask me that so frivolously."  
  
    "Just trying to keep the mood light," Judy giggled, her ears feeling a little warm, a feeling Nick shared. She released a contemplative hum. "I guess you're right after all, Nick. We're going to just be talking about all this awkward stuff for the rest of our days now. We've embarked on another life, almost."  
  
    "Just because I'm poking you in a new area?" Nick chuckled.  
  
    "Don't you try to downplay this _now_! After  _you_ were the one fretting!" Judy was trying to keep from laughing, trying to sound angry, but it wasn't working.  
  
    "I was just being a drama llama," Nick seemed relaxed. "I just want it to be like this between us again. No awkward silences, just... you know, talking. Joking."  
  
    "Yeah, I want that too," Judy smiled brightly. The relationship they were cultivating was quickly becoming as vital to her life as her realized dream of working as a police officer. "Though I also think I want to try riding a red rocket sometime."  
  
    "Judy!" Nick flinched again. "What did I just say about the flirting!?"  
  
    "Hey, I'm technically your senior officer!" Judy said teasingly. "I don't have to listen to you."  
  
    "Come _on_ , Carrots!" Nick placed a hand on his forehead. "I don't want to have to think of a bunny bouncing on me while we're giving some poor sap a speeding ticket."  
  
    "Oh no?" Judy asked coquettishly. "Why not, Officer Wilde?"  
  
    "Because," Nick smirked devilishly. "Those thoughts are for  _after_ hours..."  
  
    "Mm!" Judy took a hand off the wheel to paw the air. "Rowr. ...But now  _you_ just flirted."  
  
    Nick slapped his forehead and ran it down his face. "It really is like asking a fish to stop swimming."  
  
    "We are who we are," Judy said confidently. "I'm  _positive_ that won't change."  
  
    "And thank Karma for that," Nick sighed happily.


	5. Chapter 5

    Nick awoke in his bed, blinking slowly and looking at his clock. He had the day off, and it was still very early. The first rays of dawn hadn't even broken yet; the sky outside was still dim bluish-gray. He thought about rolling over and going back to sleep but decided against it, shuffling out of bed with a grumble. No point in breaking his current circadian rhythm just for an extra hour or two of sleep, he thought. This is what coffee was placed on the Earth for.  
  
    Heading to the bathroom naked to take care of some morning affairs, he stared at his face in the mirror, brushing it a bit and slapping his face a little so he didn't look like he just woke up. He practiced a small grin before letting his face fall neutral. He still felt quite tired; being a responsible adult mammal was hard work. Still unclothed, he trudged into his apartment's kitchen/living area, where he smelled a familiar, pleasant smell.  
  
    He followed the faint smell to his couch, where Judy was curled up, asleep. She was clad in one of her soft, cottony shirts and sleep shorts; her other clothes were folded up on the arm of the couch. Nick smiled and shook his head, going into the kitchen to prepare himself some coffee. Judy's impromptu visits were becoming more frequent; Nick had given her a key for this very reason. Her excuses for coming over were quite varied: a simple "couldn't sleep", neighbors being too loud, or even just "wanted to see my fox". Nick usually didn't even question her; it was  _she_ who supplied the excuses. Nick scratched at his neck as he sipped from his coffee, staring at her. He wondered if she really craved his company  _that_ much, or if she was caught in a heady grip of excitement from their most recent activities.   
  
    After just a few minutes more, Judy stirred and winced as she woke up, yawning. She opened an eye and flinched slightly at the naked fox gazing at her.  
  
    "Morning, Nick," Judy smiled, stretching. This easily caught Nick's attention as his eyes swept over her form.  
  
    "Good morning, sweetheart," Nick returned, leaning over and licking her face. Judy mumbled happily at his tongue on her cheek; his tongue felt extra warm from the coffee. "Want a sip?" He held out his mug.  
  
    "Okay," Judy sat up and took the mug with both hands, feeling Nick affectionately run his hand through her forehead and ears as he leaned in to kiss her forehead. She sipped from it and made a face. "Wow, how can you drink this? Is there even any coffee in here? It's so sweet!"  
  
    "Well pardon me!" Nick chuckled, taking back the cup.   
  
    "I like my coffee so strong that it fights back," Judy smirked, giving Nick a small kiss before he could fully escape. "So, I see you're not wearing any clothes."  
  
    "You are correct, miss," Nick looked over himself. "I can't say I am. In my defense, I didn't expect my favorite visitor."  
  
    "Don't have an excuse this time," Judy turned her head away with a slightly bashful smile, her hands in her lap. "Just wanted to."  
  
    "Why didn't you just join me in bed?" Nick shrugged. "My couch can't be more comfortable than the bed at your home."  
  
    "Didn't want to wake you," Judy said lamely. "And um... I feel more at home here, you know?"  
  
    "Judy..." Nick grinned, taking another sip. "You sap."  
  
    "Hey," Judy grinned, giggling.  
  
    "You might as well move in," Nick said conversationally. Judy's eyes went wider; her ears perked as she felt snapped to full wakefulness. "You're here so much that paying your rent is pretty much a waste."  
  
    "True..." Judy smiled. "Though if we were together more often wouldn't we start to lose this hunger we get for each other?"  
  
    "Please, Judy," Nick sighed, finishing up his coffee. "It's hard enough to try not to think about you like that at work. We need to get this first phase out of our systems so we don't feel like we're in heat all the time."  
  
    "Well, bunnies don't go into heat, but I know what you mean," Judy smiled. She pat the couch next to her. "Well as long as I'm here and you're naked..."  
  
    "I like the sound of this," Nick grinned, lounging back on the couch near her. Judy crawled over to him and started rubbing his stomach and thighs. She paused, however, when she approached his fuzzy sheathe and orbs. Her face grew contemplative, almost determined, and she framed the area with her paws. She wiggled her fingers as she hesitated to move her hands closer. Nick began to laugh. "What are you doing, Judy? You look like you're preparing to swipe a mystical artifact."  
  
    "Well, obviously I'm trying to make it come out with my mind," Judy half-lidded her eyes sarcastically. Nick laughed harder.  
  
    "I'm afraid that's not how it works," Nick grinned. "Need me to show you how it's done?" Nick began to run his own paw down his chest and stomach.  
  
    "No, stop, stop!" Judy lightly smacked his hand away. "Obviously this isn't rocket science." Judy's ears perked and her pupils shrank as she realized her inadvertent joke in horror. Nick had a leering smile. She pointed at him. "No! Do  _not_ go after that."  
  
    Nick's smile lost its teasing edge and he sighed. "Ah, Judy. I don't think I could have even  _imagined_ a more amusing lover than you."  
  
    Judy tried to form a teasing smile. "Well, I guess you could consider what I'm about to do a form of amusement." She touched near his foxy package a bit, the soft touch seeming tentative.  
  
    "Are you sure you're up to it?" Nick asked with a tiny note of concern. "You still look a bit timid."  
  
    "I am  _not_ timid," Judy said defiantly, starting to press her hands to his package and massage and rub around. "Just you wait, once you feel these bunny paws bring you over, you'll never want to touch  _yourself_ with those fox pads again."  
  
    Nick grinned at her growing confidence. "Ah, here we go. I should have guessed that all I had to do to get you going was claim you couldn't do it."  
  
    "You rascal..." Judy had an almost bashful grin. She noticed the reddish tip of Nick's length peeking out of the sheath. "Speaking of rascals, hello there little guy...!"  
  
    "Again with the 'little' jokes?" Nick whined. He grumbled a little as he felt himself arouse further and further.  
  
    "It's actually kind of fun to coax him out," Judy grinned. Watching the fox's knot emerge, she smiled. "All right, here we go." She moved her paws up to his member, placing them both onto it, and started to run them both across all of the recently-revealed red-colored rod. "Feels so smooth!" Nick had to gasp at her first real touches here.  
  
    "Your paws are  _so_ soft...!" Nick breathed out, trying not to immediately pant. Judy's courage was quickly growing as she rubbed him, exploring every detail of her fox's length. A small dribble of clear liquid from the tip indicated that Judy was definitely on the right track, and she grinned larger. Nick was trying not to drool himself.  
  
    "You like...?" Judy smirked teasingly. She felt a small thrill of power at the feeling of giving him something she never had done before.   
  
    "Yeah..." Nick nodded, panting a bit before managing to close his mouth again. "I'll come clean, I've kind of imagined you doing this to me for a long time..."  
  
    "Well, making you come is the whole idea, yeah?" Judy teased. Nick laughed. "But, did you think I'd do _this_?" Judy placed her hands on Nick's thighs and leaned in closer. Nick's eyes went wide as he had some idea of what he thought she was about to do, but he was in for a surprise. With his length laying flush with his body, Judy pressed her chin against it and pushed against it three times before looking at him with an alluring, eyes nearly closed half-smile. She moved back away from him and started to rub him again.  
  
    "I... uh..." Nick reflexively sniffed as the significance of her action wasn't lost on him. Her scent smelled strong, and she had placed it right on his foxhood. Nick had read about this and even caught Judy doing it to him once on his shoulder; this was "chinning", a bunny behavior that had a strong connotation of possession.  
  
    "My fox," Judy said in a whisper. Nick could only absently nod as her actions and words sent an erotic thrill surging into him, and his shaft gave an eager pulse for more of Judy's touch. She obliged, and Nick grit his teeth and winced, trying not to make the embarrassing trills and chirps foxes were capable of. Judy felt a small tingle of arousal herself at listening to Nicks breaths. When she changed the timing or pace of her dual-handed stroking, she heard his breaths quicken or deepen. Her ears twitched as she found his desperate breaths to be a very enticing sound.  
  
    "I'm nearly there...!" Nick moaned out. Judy's smile grew wider. A devilish voice inside of her told her to slow down to extend his pleasured agony, but a small twitch of head dispelled this thought. She knew her fox had waited long enough for this. Brushing her fingers over his tip and stroking and pumping his shaft, she gave it her best try.   
  
    "C'mon, foxy," Judy encouraged. "Let it all out..."  
  
    "Ngh... Judy!" Nick gasped, his feet and hands clenching as he hit his peak. Judy reflexively flinched and giggled as she felt his foxhood twitch and pulse in her paws and eject his essence in squirts. One of her eyes closed instinctively. "Mnh... k-keep rubbing!"  
  
    Judy recovered from her initial trance and smiled, her tiny tongue poking out from her mouth as she gave a few more rubs to the climaxing fox. Nick shivered as this enhanced the bursts of pleasure he was gripped in; he was only dimly aware of his cream spurting over his chest and stomach. A few more pulses and Nick groaned slowly, starting to relax.  
  
    "Does the foxy feel good?" Judy smirked, tickling the swelling at the base of his member. Nick winced and one more dribble of his emission pooled out.  
  
    "C-careful with that," Nick panted. "It's sensitive after climax..."  
  
    "Oh, is it?" Judy smirked.  
  
    "Too sensitive to keep playing with!" Nick quickly added, shaking his opened hands at her in warning.  
  
    "Aw, okay," Judy laughed. Nick sighed and slumped backwards, feeling relaxed and relieved. "Wow, Nick, you're a mess; in more ways than one!"  
  
    "So I am," Nick agreed, looking over himself. "Ah well, I was going to take a shower anyway."  
  
    "Ooh, a shower?" Judy perked up. "Does it have room for one more?"  
  
    "Barely," Nick smirked.  
  
    "Even better!" Judy giggled, getting up and starting to leave a trail of her clothes behind as she made her way to his bathroom. Nick absorbed the sight of her energy and playfulness and felt a sensation of deep, complete joy.  
  
    Nick sighed and got up from the couch with some effort. "I love that bunny."   


	6. Chapter 6

    Nick turned the handle to the shower faucet, listening to the quiet shriek of the ensuing continuous spray of water. First he set the water to a mild temperature.  
  
    "I should probably go in first, Judy," Nick said. "I need to wipe my chest and stomach down with cool water first or else all that stuff will be impossible to get out."  
  
    "Okay," Judy smiled and giggled as Nick entered the water, shivering a bit, starting to clean himself off. Judy exhaled slowly and entered with him.  
  
    "Or," Nick rolled his eyes, "you could  _not_ listen to me with those enormous ears and jump right in."  
  
    "Surprised you of all people don't know this trick, Nick," Judy chided, "just breathe out slowly when you're entering a cold shower and it's easier to acclimate. Plus, I got dunked in a frigid pool for failing to scale an ice wall during my ZPD training; this is nothing."  
  
    "Huh," Nick shrugged, "I'll have to try that the next time you make a mess of me."  
  
    "It'll happen, so be prepared," Judy laughed. She was behind him and started placing some shampoo on her palms to wash Nick from the back. "So. I see he's still out. Are we going to make this shower an extra fun one before we get too clean?"  
  
    "I don't think I can, Judy," Nick winced. "Foxes have quite a long time after climax that we stay 'out'. This is the time we're supposed to be tied with our lover."  
  
    "Tied?" Judy blinked. "Sounds kinky."  
  
    "Tied like, with the knot," Nick rolled his eyes. "God, and I thought  _I_ had dirty thoughts all the time..."  
  
    Judy giggled pleasantly, continuing to wash Nick from behind, as well as Nick's behind. Nick turned the water up and Judy hummed as it grew pleasantly warm and steamy. "I wonder when we'll get there, huh?"  
  
    Nick didn't respond. Instead, he turned around, getting some shampoo and starting to wash Judy himself. Judy looked curiously at his blank expression.  
  
    "What's wrong, Nick?" Judy said.  
  
    "I... don't know if we'll get there," Nick admitted. "For all the jokes you make about my size, I still think I might be too big for you."  
  
    "Aw, c'mon," Judy swiped her hand. "I was just teasing. Try everything, right?"  
  
    "No, don't try everything," Nick shook his head. "Don't try things that might put you in the hospital with a sexual injury. How would that look?" Judy blinked at his concern, but then slowly frowned.  
  
    "You look a little upset," Judy observed, beginning to feel a slight bit of worry. "I mean c'mon, you could probably still get it into me, right? We could mate that way! It's not too big."  
  
    "Yeah but the knot might be too big," Nick shrugged. "Flesh can be elastic but... I don't want to hurt you. That being said, tying is about one of the most intimate things a tod can do with their mate. It usually locks the couple together to have an extended period of intimate cuddling time."  
  
    "That does sound nice," Judy agreed as the two continued to wash each other absently. Judy noticed Nick's member was retreating back into his sheathe as his tone remained serious. "How long, usually?"  
  
    "Can be up to an hour," Nick shrugged. "Less, lots of times."  
  
    "Wow," Judy smiled. "Well, as with all of this stuff, we just have to keep talking about it, right? If we're mentally or physically uncomfortable with anything that's going on, all we have to do is say it, yeah?"  
  
    Nick nodded, stroking Judy's cheeks and licking her nose. "Love you."  
  
    Judy let out a small sigh of relief at seeing his expression soften, kissing him briefly. "Love you too."  
  
    Most of the rest of the shower passed in silence. Judy noticed Nick's seeming disappointment at the resignation that he had already put himself through; that he might not be able to tie his mate. Judy felt a small pang of longing at this as well; it sounded very intimate to her and obviously it was important to Nick. They still had to take small steps, she decided.  
  
    "Well!" Judy said as the two got out of the shower. "That warm, steamy shower turned out to be neither warm nor steamy!" Nick pat Judy's head twice as if this was a pithy reward for the joke.   
  
    "My bad," Nick slowly let a smirk crawl back onto his face. "How can I make it up to you?" The two started to dry each other off with towels.  
  
    "This is good," Judy replied. "How about a nice long brushing session after we get the fur reasonably dry?"  
  
    "That sounds immensely satisfying, to be honest," Nick sighed warmly, looking over Judy's body. "I get to brush all of _that_? Tail included?"  
  
    "Tail included," Judy promised with a chuckle. After the toweling, the two stood back-to-back, a single hare-dryer held by both paws of each naked mammal. "Draw!"  
  
    Nick and Judy turned and started blowing hot air over each other with their "weapons". Getting fur dry took a long time, but they made a game out of it, dodging around each other carelessly and playing games like 'who could be the first to dry the others ears.  
  
    The two found themselves later back on the couch, each equipped with a brush.  
  
    "Take turns, or simultaneous?" Nick tilted his head.  
  
    "As much as I like the full pampering treatment by taking turns, lets do simultaneous," Judy said, sitting in Nick's lap. "More cozy." The two tenderly brushed over each others fur, both sometimes adding pets or scratches with their off hand. Judy arched up a bit as Nick brushed her back, bottom, and tail, mostly for his benefit, although it did feel good. Judy hummed very longingly as the fox brought his tail into her lap so she could brush it meticulously; Nick had quickly figured out this was her favorite part of him, though he was hoping his foxhood would rise through the ranks soon enough.  
  
    Once both were profoundly fluffy from their extended attentions to each other, they found themselves kissing rather softly and romantically. Judy loved kissing all over Nick's muzzle, especially planting multiple kisses along the line of his dark lips. Nick, on the other hand, liked making Judy squeak by nuzzling her with his cold nose; his favorite was to nudge her chin out of the way to kiss it where her scent was.  
  
    More time passed, and Nick had melted further back into the couch, laying on his back, with Judy atop him. She was gently scratching at his chest and stomach with her claws, tracing lazy patterns in almost a daze, and Nick was groping her bottom, giving squeezes and rubs, and of course playing with her tuft of a tail. After awhile of this, Nick began a relaxed, long laugh.  
  
    "Enjoying yourself?" Judy asked. Her tone was more warm than she intended it to be, as she couldn't gather enough energy to be wry while trapped in a cloud of comfort.  
  
    "Really just never thought I'd be doing this to you," Nick chuckled more, releasing a happy sigh. "With the amount of sneaky glances I've given this bunny bum, I don't think I actually deserve it."  
  
    "Don't worry, you silly fox," Judy returned. "I'll let you rub the rabbutt whenever it's prudent."  
  
    Nick laughed even more, trapped in a fit of giggling that Judy struggled not to join, but failed. "Okay okay, I need to think up another one. How about-"  
  
    Nick's thought was interrupted by a loud, cheerful ringtone along with a vibration. Judy's and Nick's eyes both went wide with shock as they looked to Judy's pile of clothes on the couch arm, where the sound was emanating from. Judy scrambled over and checked the phone laying atop her clothes.  
  
    "It's my parents!" Judy winced. "I forgot to check in this week!" She whined. "No, they want a _MuzzleTime_? Why can't they just do audio calls like  _normal_ old people!?"  
  
    "You can't answer; you're naked! And at my place!" Somehow Nick couldn't think of anything else to state but the obvious in his panic.  
  
    "Toss me my shirt; I'm going to catch heck for this if I don't answer!" Judy said, catching her shirt that Nick threw to her and quickly putting it on.  
  
    "Oh, not like answering the phone with no pants on in another apartment is suspicious or anything," Nick said sarcastically.   
  
    "J-just stay off frame!" Judy prepared the phone, making sure the view wouldn't show too much of her lower chest and belly. Closing her eyes and silently saying a brief word of supplication, she touched the button and adopted a large smile. "Oh hey, guys!"  
  
    "Judy! We were getting worried!" Stu Hopps, her father, replied. Bonnie, her mother, nodded sagely.  
  
    "It's not like you to wait so long to call us," Bonnie gently reproved in that uniquely motherly tone.  
  
    "Sorry, just got caught up with some things," Judy giggled nervously. Nick narrowed one eye; that bunny was really not very good under pressure from her parents.  
  
    "Wait, where are you, Jude?" Stu curiously looked around as if he was actually in the room with her.  
  
    "Nick's place!" Judy chirped without hesitation. Both of her parents blinked.   
  
    "Now Bunbun, I know Nick and you have become a bit of an item," Bonnie shook her head, "but don't you think it's a bit forward to be at his place already?"  
  
    "Oh, absolutely!" Judy said. "But this is about a case!"  
  
    "After hours?" Bonnie seemed surprised.  
  
    "You work so hard already, Jude," Stu had a proud smile.  
  
    "Oh, big case," Judy fumbled, shaking her head. "Long, lots of surprises." Nick slowly moved his head into his palm, rubbing the top of his muzzle. A nervous, terse giggle escaped Judy as she realized what she had said.  
  
    "Now Jude," Stu said in a warm voice. "You know all that overworking can't be good for you. You need to take a vacation; come down here and spend some time with us."  
  
    "Oh, I do!" Judy said, nodding so rapidly her ears bobbed. "I totally do."  
  
    "And bring that fox!" Bonnie added.  
  
    "What!?" Judy's teeth flashed in an uncomfortable smile. "Why...!?" Nick's pupils shrank.  
      
    "Well, you love him, don'cha?" Stu made a warm gesture, bobbing his index finger at her. "We'd love to have him over."  
  
    "Judy, it's been so long since you have been down here for Serendipiday; can you get the time off?" Bonnie had her hands together pleadingly.  
  
    "Serendipiday?" Judy shrugged. "Yeah, I think so." Nick tested this new word silently, looking confused.  
  
    "I'm sure Nick would love it!" Stu pumped his arm. Judy shot him a nervous glance with her eyes before instantly moving back to her parents with her steady, uncomfortable smile. Stu had noticed. "Oh, is he there? Can we talk to him!?"  
  
    "Uh...!" Judy laughed. "He's... busy with the case!" She shot another look to him, desperately. "It's a _cover up_." There was a small thump as Nick fell off the couch and fled on all fours to his room to get dressed.  
  
    "Ooh, sounds exciting!" Bonnie gave a small, exuberant hop, but then frowned a bit. "And a bit dangerous."   
  
    "Oh, totally, totally both," Judy agreed. "I'd love to come over for Serendipiday, but I'd have to ask Nick if he'd like to, when he gets his fuzzy tail over here! We'll see about booking a room if so, and-"  
  
    "Oh come on now," Stu swiped his arm. "Still plenty of room at our place!"  
  
    "But all the kits...!" Judy weakly protested.  
  
    "They  _love_ Nick!" Bonnie smiled warmly. "Oh, they'll just be so happy to see him. And for Serendipiday, too!" Nick emerged from his bedroom, looking suave and casual for one so quickly dressed.  
  
    "I uh- oh, here's Nick!" Judy carefully offered the phone to Nick so she wouldn't reveal her pants-less state, then grumbled when the phone was plucked from her and quickly sought to put the rest of her clothes on.  
  
    "Nick!" Both elder bunnies greeted happily.  
  
    "Hey you two," Nick clicked his teeth at them and winked. "Are there any more kit names I need to memorize?"  
  
    "Oh, stop," Bonnie giggled, waving her arm as Stu laughed. "The time for that has passed for me."  
  
    "Gotcha," Nick nodded. "So what's this about Serendipiday?"  
  
    "A uniquely bunny holiday!" Stu began proudly. "It's on July 7th. Oh, but I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise!"  
  
    "Yes! One's first Serendipiday is all about being surprised by the very experience!" Bonnie nodded quickly. "It's a part of our culture."  
  
    "Sounds intriguing," Nick nodded. "I'm in. Judy and I can probably squeeze out for a long weekend at your place." Judy had a horrified look on that Nick read, but didn't show the sinking feeling in his stomach to Judy or her parents.  
  
    "That would be so great!" Bonnie seemed pleased, and Stu nodded in agreement.  
  
    "We'll see you two crazy kits there, huh?" Stu said.  
  
    "Sure, but for now Judy and I should get back on that case," Nick nodded. "Very long, big case." Judy cringed as they said their goodbyes and the two hung up. "And red, like the inside of your ears."  
  
    "Nick, we can't go to their place for the vacation!" Judy threw out her arms wide.  
  
    "Why not?" Nick indicated the phone with his other paw. "Your folks love me, and I love them, too. What's the problem?"  
  
    "The S-E-X is the problem!" Judy said through clenched teeth. "Bunny noses might not be nearly as good as foxes, but we know what aroused doe smells like! If even one bunny gets a whiff of me getting turned on, rumors will spread through my family like _wildfire_!"  
  
    "Ah, that could be bad," Nick nodded in a stilted voice. "I'm guessing you're afraid of your parents finding out?"  
  
    " _Kind of_...!?" Judy threw her hands out in exasperation, then made a long whining noise and lolled her head upwards with her eyes closed. Nick tossed the phone onto the couch.  
  
    "It'll be okay, Judy, we'll get through it," Nick smiled at her, but then his smile disappeared. "Also, please don't ever lie to me." Another smirk formed. "That was kind of embarrassing to listen to."  
  
    "What?" Judy recovered from her despondent expression and looked at Nick. "I can lie just fine."  
  
    "Please," Nick chided her, drawing closer. "The only good lying you do is on a bed."  
  
    "That's _laying_ ," Judy shook her finger to correct him.  
  
    "I'll 'lay' you," Nick smirked, causing Judy to break into a giggle as Nick threw his arm around her and brought her tight against his side.  
  
    "I certainly hope so!" Judy smiled almost reluctantly as their immediate problems faded away from their minds into another day.   


	7. Chapter 7

    Parting the doors to the ZPD headquarters, Judy and Nick entered the ZPD lobby together; they were discussing their plans for the next two weeks.  
  
    "So we probably should try for the 6th, 7th,  _and_ 8th," Judy said, counting on her fingers.  
  
    "We need a day to recover from this holiday?" Nick chuckled.  
  
    "I don't want to be in a rush to get back to Zootopia," Judy explained, gesturing with her hands. Then, she wrung them together. "Mm, I hope Chief Bogo will let us have off all three days. I think it's a bit late to put in for a request? I'm not sure, I've never asked for vacation time before."  
  
    "Exactly," Nick pointed at her with his familiar smirk and half-closed eyes. "That's why I think it'll be no problem. You worry too much, Officer Fluff."  
  
    The two heard a familiar, enormous gasp coming from the front desk and both of their heads turned towards the source. It was the friendly cheetah officer Benjamin Clawhauser, who had his paws pushing against his chubby cheeks. Nick and Judy's eyes met each others for an instant as their train of thought was disrupted.  
  
    "Uh oh..." Judy muttered.  
  
    "On second thought, maybe you don't worry enough?" Nick wondered, slowly walking over to the desk with his hands behind his back. "Benji, buddy! What's happening?"  
  
    "Oh, _nothing_ ," Clawhauser nearly purred out with a huge grin. "Just glad to see my two  _favorite_ partners together." Judy's eyes grew wider.  
  
    "Okay buddy, something's up," Nick rotated his wrist, an easy smile on his face. "Why don't you just get on with it?"  
  
    Clawhauser let out an extended giggle, then his eyes shifted from left to right to make sure no one was close. He leaned in and both Nick and Judy found their heads unconsciously leaning in as well.  
  
    "Let's just say I'm finally  _sure_ a little something-something is going on between you two adorable mammals," Clawhauser said cheerfully, making a soft squeal.  
  
    "What?" Judy had practice deflecting the big cat before. She made a throwing motion with her hands. "Psh, come on, Clawhauser. Isn't this routine of yours getting a little old by now? Nick and I are just partners."  
  
    "Right..." Clawhauser smirked. Nick started to feel uncomfortable in his stomach; usually Clawhauser was never smug. "Well, I've heard otherwise. From your own lips, no less! I thought I might have just been hearing what I wanted to hear at first, but then there were some pretty blatant parts..." Clawhauser broke into giggling again, covering his mouth with his hands.  
  
    "Clawhauser, what are you talking about...?" Judy's expression became wary.  
  
    "Ah, I was watching your dash-cams from a few days ago," Clawhauser said innocently. "And I-" Clawhauser smiled as both Judy and Nick's faces became mortified.  
  
    "The dash-cams..." Nick said blankly. Judy felt a bolt of dread slash through her.  
  
    "Why were you looking at our dash-cam...?" Judy narrowed her eyes suspiciously.  
  
    "Oh, I just love listening to you two go back and forth," Clawhauser said brightly. "It's like a talk show between you two!"  
  
    "Nick... we're finished..." Judy said worriedly, looking at Nick.  
  
    "No no no!" Clawhauser waved his hands. "Oh, don't worry about it. No one's ever going to look at that dash-cam; there's nothing important on it!"  
  
    "You did," Nick pointed out, his ears flattening.  
  
    "Well, even if they did, I had my fun, so um... I may have caused a small 'accident' to the audio of that dash-cam," Clawhauser formed an uncharacteristically sneaky face.  
  
    "Clawhauser!" Judy burst out. "You can't do that!"  
  
    "Shh!" Clawhauser put a finger to his mouth. "It's fine, it's fine! I can't have anything happen two my two favorite officers!"  
  
    Nick managed a chuckle. "Benji buddy, next time you catch something like this you have to hold it to your advantage." Judy looked at him incredulously.  
  
    "I couldn't do that," Clawhauser laughed brightly. "That's mean."  
  
    "Okay, let's pretend you did anyway," Nick held his hands out, moving them slowly away from each other. "So, with that sort of threat hanging over our heads..." Nick's expression changed to look upset. "Please, Ben, what can we do to prevent you from using it against us!?"  
  
    "Um, really, it's okay?" Clawhauser giggled.  
  
    "How about a box of donuts?" Judy offered cheerily.  
  
    "Ooh, that'd be good!" Clawhauser pointed at her.  
  
    "Ah, you're thinking too small," Nick shook his head.  
  
    "Something from Gazelle?" Judy shrugged.  
  
    Clawhauser gasped. "Gazelle!?"  
  
    "Something  _signed_ by Gazelle!" Nick slashed his pointer finger.  
  
    Clawhauser put his paws to his cheeks and gasped again. "No way! You can do that!?"  
  
    "We can find a way," Nick boasted, slapping his own chest. "I know just about everyone, after all. Just keep your end of the 'not telling anyone' deal, and we'll get you some signed Gazelle merch."  
  
    "Oh, I'm sorry to blackmail you, but that just sounds so _nice_!" Clawhauser wriggled a bit in glee.  
  
    "Think nothing of it, friend," Nick made a little bow and then moved away from Clawhauser with Judy.  
  
    "That was a bit nice of us," Judy smirked. "But now we have to find a way to get some signed Gazelle merchandise."  
  
    "So what, like attend a concert?" Nick put his hands into his pockets. "That'd be torture for you, huh?" Judy smirked, rolling her eyes, but her expression slowly grew worried.  
  
    "Clawhauser _knows_ , Nick," Judy twisted her mouth this way and that.  
  
    "Yeah, I don't like that either, but what can we do?" Nick shrugged. "I'd prefer to stay on his good side. If he slips up, you know he'd try to do anything to repair the damage."  
  
    "Guess so," Judy nodded.  
  
    After the morning briefing, Judy and Nick headed into Chief Bogo's office at his bidding. The buffalo in question regarded them dryly from some papers he was looking at as the two drew closer to his desk.  
  
    "What do you two want?" Bogo huffed.  
  
    "I was just wondering, sir," Judy started meekly, "A bunny holiday is coming up, and I'd like to take Nick to the celebration in Bunnyburrow. We'd need the 6th, 7th, and 8th off. Is it too late to ask for the time off?"  
  
    Chief Bogo removed his glasses and stared at her. "A bunny holiday? Is that like that Serendipity-doo-dah or whatever it's called?" Judy nodded. Bogo looked gruff. "No."  
  
    "Nh-no!?" Judy looked surprised and upset, and Nick frowned a little. "Why not?"  
  
    The barest hint of a smirk formed on Bogo's muzzle. "No, it's not too late to ask for the time off."  
  
    "Oh!" Judy laughed. "Haha, good one sir. Thank you very much!"  
  
    Bogo held a hand up. "Wait, I said it's not too late to ask for the time off, not that you two could  _have_ it."  
  
    "Ah," Judy's ears fell, "s-so you did."  
  
    Bogo shrugged, turning his held up hand over. "But you can. I'll put it in."  
  
    "Really?" Judy's eyes lit up again. "Wait, what's the catch _now_?"  
  
    Bogo chuckled. "No catch." His face became stony again. "If anything, it'll be a relief to have a short break from our two resident class clowns." Bogo launched a glare at Nick, who only smiled placidly.  
  
    Judy laughed nervously, pumping her arm. "Haha... good one, sir!"  
  
    "You  _never_ ask for time off," Chief Bogo said. "It'd probably do you some good for that tightly wound spring of emotions you have." Judy flashed a big smile. "Any reason you two are still here? Go." He flicked his hand at them dismissively and the two were off.  
  
    "Well!  _You_ were quiet," Judy complained, shooting Nick a dirty look.  
  
    "You know I can barely keep myself from back-talking Chief Buff," Nick smirked. "I thought I would increase our chances of getting the time off if I could avoid saying anything sarcastic."  
  
    "Well, thanks for your sacrifice," Judy smiled, rolling her eyes.  
  
    Later, the two were doing paperwork at their cubicles. The two were essentially in the same cubicle, but faced away from each other. They did some busywork, typing case files from menial traffic violations into their computer. A gray wolf officer named Wolford walked by their cubicle. Nick's ear twitched as Wolford slowed down when he walked by the two. He made a show of sniffing around close to the two with what he thought was a rather coy expression. Nick's muzzle slowly turned until he was looking at Wolford dead in the face. Wolford regarded him with this coy smirk, and Nick looked blank.  
  
    Suddenly, Nick slammed his paws down on his desk, causing Judy to start in alarm and her ears to perk up. Nick got out of his chair and stared at Wolford intently. Judy turned her head to look at this, her breath catching quietly. It looked like Nick -although quite a bit smaller than Wolford- was staring him _down_ , though he was looking  _up_ at Wolford.  
  
    "Do you have something to say, Wolford?" Nick asked in an unusually angry voice, adding a growl, though his muzzle was closed. A small ripple appeared on Nick's muzzle as it was clear he was not pleased. Judy was transfixed and felt her heart rate accelerate.  
  
    "No, no," Wolford smiled. "Just checking. Seeing if I needed to add anything to my scent journal." He had a self-satisfied smirk forming.  
  
    "Is that something you'd like to share with the class, 'Detective' Wolford?" Nick seemed like he was holding back a snarl. He continued to growl quietly.  
  
    "It's okay, Wilde, seriously," Wolford's smile seemed slightly uncomfortable. "It's all in good fun."  
  
    "Is it?" Nick cocked an eyebrow, sniffing at Wolford. "Because if I catch wind of you trying to use your little 'diary' to hurt my partner in any way... well, I'm pretty sure I can uncover some funny smells of your own."  
  
    "Pff, there's nothing you can get on me," Wolford smirked, but he didn't look sure about this. "Besides, anything you could have sniffed up on me, Snarlov would have noticed by now."  
  
    "Foxes can sniff around without their noses," Nick said dangerously, his voice containing none of his usual teasing levity, "we're sneaky, remember? A question here, a favor there..."  
  
    "Hey, we're okay, Wilde, we're cool," Wolford insisted, looking a bit flighty, taking a step back.  
  
    "Back off," Nick said solidly, and added in a slightly louder growl. Wolford laughed uncomfortably and left. Judy stared at Nick, taken aback by the whole exchange.  
  
    "Nick!" Judy said in amazement and worry. "What was  _that_ all about!?"  
  
    "Eh, it's a canid thing," Nick instantly seemed like himself again. "Canids, especially wolves, need to be shown what place they're in, or else they'll be quick to put on airs. By threatening him, I can make sure he stays in line."  
  
    "That's crazy..." Judy murmured. She smiled a bit. "It was nice of you to defend me, though... like that..." She smiled a bit wider.  
  
    "Aw, Judy, of course," Nick swung back around to get back to his work.  
  
    "Also I'll have to keep the fact that canids need to be shown who's boss in the back of my head," Judy said with a hint of spice in her voice.  
  
    The fur on the back of Nick's neck tingled. He harshly whispered: "Not at work, Hopps!"    
  
    "Sorry, sorry!" Judy giggled quietly. "Whew, is it just me, or does everyone seem out to get us lately?"  
  
    "Sure  _seems_ that way," Nick groaned. "That vacation is sounding nicer by the minute, no matter what Serendipiday is all about."  
  
    "Yeah..." Judy muttered, sighing anxiously. A couple of weeks away or not, it seemed like the stress of them hiding their relationship was taking its toll on both of them. Judy put her head in her paws. Her parents. She'd have to hide from them, too, wouldn't she? She gave a look back to Nick, who was now focused on his work.  
  
    Couldn't the two just be themselves around anyone  _other than_ themselves?


	8. Chapter 8

    With both their workday and the dishes done, Judy and Nick dried off their hands. The bunny had a glazed expression; her eyes were unfocused.  
  
    "Something on your mind, Fluff?" Nick inquired.  
  
    "Mm," Judy nodded. "I keep thinking back to that time you threatened Wolford a couple of days ago."  
  
    "What for?" Nick asked, replacing the hand towel he was using.  
  
    "I just thought it was kind of... I don't know," Judy rubbed her hands together awkwardly, "exciting?"  
  
    "Exciting?" Nick blinked.  
  
    "Yeah," Judy smiled bashfully. "It was kind of a turn on to see you acting like an 'alpha' or whatever. A big, forceful predator." Judy squeaked out a nervous laugh.  
  
    " _Really_ ," Nick had to smirk.  
  
    "Yeah, if it wasn't for wearing so much scent-blocker, you or Wolford definitely would have noticed," Judy bit her lip, looking away.  
  
    "Hmm... right now, I'm noticing some tasty prey," Nick grinned, licking his lips. He grabbed Judy by the wrist and dragged her closer.  
  
    "Ooh, so are we gonna do something like this, then!?" Judy asked excitedly, beginning to strip. Nick reached out and stopped her from removing her clothes, grabbing her by the wrists. Judy looked up at him, surprised.  
  
    "We're gonna need a safe-word," Nick explained. "Something that could take us out of the moment. If I get too intense for you to enjoy it, I need you to snap me out of it, okay? I don't want to cause you any discomfort."  
  
    "Okay," Judy nodded with a small smile, and thought for a few seconds. "Ah, that's easy. Tax evasion."  
  
    Nick's eyes went wide and he flinched as if he had been punched. "Oof, that's pretty good, yeah. I think that caused a failure to launch."  
  
    Judy giggled. " _Too_ effective?"  
  
    "No, that's good, you need to be able to bring me out of it," Nick nodded.  
  
    "I know you'd never hurt me," Judy said with a slightly provocative edge.  
  
    "Of course not," Nick smirked. "But I need you to enjoy what's going to happen next."  
  
    "I'm sure I will," Judy said, squirming, "but you should let me go so I can get undressed."  
  
    Nick shook his head. "I'm going to expose my prey _myself_." Nick started to growl, pulling her closer. Judy gasped and her ears perked up. She even felt her nose begin to twitch as Nick worked to roughly unclothe her, stopping just sort of tearing her clothes as he removed them from her. Judy felt a galvanizing surge as she stood there bare before him. Somewhere deep inside her, the urge to run tugged at her, with a mischievous, dangerous-looking predator staring holes through her. She turned away and tried to run, but Nick reacted smoothly and grabbed her from behind with both hands, lifting her up. "You're not going anywhere, except to my den..."  
  
    "Muh-Mister Fox..." Judy managed to breathe out. She sensed her nose was still twitching, and her mind was already burning with a mixture of trepidation and arousal. She felt the fox hands grip her firmly and one stopped just short of touching her lower lips, to which she whined in anticipation. Nick carried Judy to his room and flung her on the bed. Judy "oof"ed at this, quickly scrambling around to look at the disrobing fox. Judy's excitement grew as she noticed Nick's arousal was peeking out as a result of his playing with her in this way. She again tried to dart off the bed, but Nick's paw caught her in the chest and he firmly pushed her back onto it, climbing onto the bed with her.  
  
    "Mm-mm," Nick shook his head, grinning with his mouth slightly open to show his teeth. "This bunny's not leaving my den without getting eaten." Nick let his tongue loll out. Judy gasped, feeling almost light-headed at the implications. She flinched from the feeling of even a single droplet of his drool landing on her neck. She could barely hear his panting over her own haggard, excited breaths. Nick brought his teeth together and growled again, running the flats of his teeth along her neck.  
  
    "Nhh!" Judy blurted out a moan as thoughts of their hustle at the museum came flooding into her. Then, as now, she felt complete trust in Nick and his conviction to not hurt her. With her inner fire burning bright, it was all she could do to stay in character and not beg him to bite her. She felt herself moisten as his tongue lashed her upper chest and moved to her throat. Nick's carefully guarded bite landed on one of Judy's shoulders, causing her to gasp and cry out.  
  
    Nick stared at Judy intensely as he withdrew from her. He was almost expecting her to relent or use the safe-word at this point, but she instead stared at him with a frightened expression, her chest rising and falling rapidly. His tail wagged about as he found this almost shamefully exciting. His eyes widened slightly as he started to sniff her, sensing her intense arousal. His nose hovered less than an inch above Judy's fur as he sniffed lower and lower. Judy wanted to arch her body to meet the cold, wet nose and feel it rub against her fur, but she instead clenched and released her hands. The feeling of surrendering to each of his decisions was a new kind of excitement.  
  
    "This won't do," Nick said in a low, dangerous voice as he saw Judy's legs close up. He struggled to part them with his paws. Judy tried not to giggle as it was clear he might not actually be able to separate them without a little help. Judy released her efforts just a little bit and gasped in "surprise" as she was fully exposed to him. With nothing left in the way to guard her scent, Nick felt an honest hunger to please her ripple through his body, and he quickly moved in. He almost felt words cheapened the experience, but he couldn't help from quipping: "Time to eat the bunny."  
  
    Judy shuddered at the first, long lick. There was barely time for her to process it before more licks followed, and she shrieked in pleasure as one of them barely grazed the nub at the top of her slit. She could hardly believe just how  _big_ Nick's tongue was as it sneaked through her lips and licked inside of her. She was making babbling sounds at this point; the pleasure that he could dish out with his tongue was more than she had even fantasized.  
  
    Subconsciously, she brought her hands up to her mouth and moaned into them. Nick stopped licking, to a needy whine from the bunny.  
  
    "Nhh-no! Please keep eating me, Mister Fox," Judy plead. Her feet went to his shoulders and tried to move him closer. Nick resisted, pulling away from her and staring at her.  
  
    "We've talked about this, prey," Nick kept an even, almost threatening voice. "You don't. Stifle. Your moans. I  _will_ hear you scream for me."  
  
    Judy felt like her head was swimming at the intensity of his words. She almost wanted to say the safe-word just for a moment to gather her bearings, but the pleasure was too addictive, the submission too enticing. "Y-yes, Mister Fox..." She nodded. She yelped as Nick moved and grabbed her wrists, moving her hands and arms behind her back.  
  
    "Lay on them," Nick commanded. Judy eagerly nodded, her breaths still coming in shaky bursts. "Now, I'll get to treat all of my senses to this delicious bunny..." Judy shivered in anticipation as his muzzle lowered again. Carefully, Nick brushed his nose against Judy's little button. The moist feeling was intense, and caused Judy to yelp out and moan. Nudging it a bit more, Nick leaned in and opened his mouth further. Judy mumbled and wordlessly begged for more as his tongue thrust inside and out of her as it explored her intimate areas completely. She couldn't hang on for much longer.  
  
    "Mister Fox...!" Judy cried out, feeling her climax burst from within her. Nick grumbled in satisfaction as he began to taste and hear the evidence of her pleasure. Her long, wild moans and gasps were a treat for his piqued ears. She cried out "Mister Fox" and "yes" over and over as she climaxed, and Nick carefully wiggled his tongue inside of her throughout her plateau.  
  
    Judy's toes wriggled and she felt like she was leaning back very hard on her hands to prevent herself from stifling her song of pleasure that Nick craved. Finally, she was released from her throes and she collapsed backwards, gasping for breath. Nick gave a small, affectionate kiss to Judy's little mound, and then withdrew from her.  
  
    "Pretty good, huh?" Nick was right back to his usual self. Judy's hands slipped out from behind her back.  
  
    "Yhh... yh..." Judy struggled to form words. "Your _tongue_... Nick... oh wow..." Nick could only chuckle with pride.  
      
    "Yummy bunny," Nick taunted, tracing circles on her stomach with his claws. She eagerly arched into this. "Mm... wow, the way you respond to me is like... mmh." Nick's member felt almost painfully aroused at absorbing all of the reactions Judy offered.  
  
    "Give me... mnh... five minutes," Judy huffed. "Your turn's next."  
  
    "Need some water, sexy bunny?" Nick purred. Judy smirked at him naughtily.  
  
    "Mnnh, yes! Nick! _Pl_ _ease_ get me some water!" Judy moaned facetiously.  
  
    "Okay, it was hotter when it was more genuine," Nick playfully flicked her cheek, causing her to grin. Nick got up. "Glad we have thick walls in this place; you are _loud_."  
  
    "I'm not going to apologize," Judy said, though her ears felt as hot as they had ever been. "You said you like it..."  
  
    "Do I ever," Nick nodded, going to get Judy some water. Bringing it back, she was sitting up on the bed, smiling brightly at him. Nick sat next to Judy, and She downed the water quickly before letting out a sound of appreciation as her thirst was quenched.  
  
    "Nick, that was _so_ good..." Judy shook her head, marveling, "It felt _amazing_."  
  
    "The predator play stuff, or the licking?" Nick wondered, smirking.  
  
    " _Yes_ ," Judy giggled. "I honestly don't know if I can turn it around on you and make you feel as good."  
  
    Nick blithely indicated his foxhood. "He's not that picky, if we're going to be completely honest."  
  
    "You deserve my best efforts after what you just did to me, my sexy foxy," Judy smirked.  
  
    "I certainly won't say no," Nick grinned, his tail swishing behind him as he saw Judy slink to the floor and approach his legs. She ran her paws up his legs, tickling at his hips and thighs with her tiny claws. Nick's breaths grew quicker as he saw Judy's saucy expression. She got so close to his length that he felt her breath on it. "Oof. I've had  _this_ fantasy."  
  
    "Of course you have, you _male_ ," Judy accused, holding his length in her paws and starting to kiss up the base of it, to the tip. Something about the smooth skin on it was appealing to the bunny. "Mmm, so  _much_ male, though..." Nick barely saw Judy's tail wiggle.  
  
    "Trying to stroke my ego, bunny?" Nick smirked down at her, though he was having a hard time keeping his anticipation in check.  
  
    "If you're paying attention, I'm trying to lick the 'Nick'," Judy teased, opening her mouth and licking at the shaft with her tongue. She did this for quite a bit, to Nick's appreciative groans, before stopping, seemingly disillusioned. She pulled away from the member, looking at Nick with a face that seemed almost worried. "Nick..."  
  
    "What's the matter?" Nick winced. "Not feeling it?"  
  
    "I..." Judy bit her lip. "I'm sorry, but I just can't help thinking how a vixen could do this so much better than I could..." Judy frowned. "Her muzzle would be so long; she could take so much of you inside. Then her tongue could just wrap and lick all around it. My muzzle and tongue are both tiny..."  
  
    "Judy..." Nick pat her head and stroked her flattened ears. "I don't care about how 'big' you are. The fact that you want to do this for me is enough, believe me."  
  
    "I... I understand, but..." Judy's eyes searched for anything else to look at but her fox, then looked back at his eyes. "Your tongue, Nick. It almost felt like breaking the rules. There's no way a buck could give me what you just did. I want to do something for you that no vixen could ever give you."  
  
    "I- um, I don't know what that could be, really," Nick shrugged.  
  
    "Oh, I do," Judy suddenly regained her composure and delivered a naughty look. Nick felt a burst of uncertainty, but he had to admit he was intrigued. Judy turned herself around, still between Nick's legs. She fluffed her ears and leaned back into his hips, using her hands to wrap the fluffy backs of her ears around Nicks member.  
  
    "No way... Judy...?" Nick gasped, his eyes opening wide in wonder. "Is this...?"  
  
    "There's one area we're bigger than foxes," Judy said flippantly. "So, how about it?"  
  
    "I've never even  _imagined_ this before..." Nick blinked, balancing himself to remain steady on the bed with his paws.  
  
    Judy began to move her ears along him simply by holding them steady with her paws and smoothly bobbing her head forward and back. Nick grunted in pleasure as her large ears completely enveloped every part of his length; the feeling of the soft fur brushing his foxhood so wholly was exquisite. Nick let one of his claws down to softly scratch Judy's chin as she earnestly worked to delight him. Judy let out a nice, soft hum that itself seemed to cause Nick's member to dribble in desire.  
  
    After awhile of this, Judy turned around and leaned forward, letting the tips of her ears tease the tip of his member, while her nose sniffed in his intimate smell. She kissed at his knot and licked at it a few times with her small tongue, at the same time rubbing her ears around the outside of his length.  
  
    "Ahh, Judy... mmh," Nick grunted as the bunny got more and more creative with her play. He felt the pleasure slowly building from the bunny's attentions.  
  
    "What do you think?" Judy said, turning around again and subjecting him to the same ear wrapping as she did initially, starting to bob her head again.  
  
    "I think that I might get turned on by just looking at your ears now?" Nick chuckled, groaning in pleasure. "Or even you  _nodding_ just the right way?"  
  
    "I think I can deal with that," Judy said airily. Her nods left the back of her head resting against his sac, and she wiggled her head to let the fur there tickle him.  
  
    "Ooh..." Nick moaned softly, feeling closer from all the bunny's efforts. "I won't last long at this rate..."  
  
    "That's the idea," Judy purred. She nodded a little faster until Nick grunted, crying out Judy's name. His length began to throb, releasing his cream in spurts. Judy giggled, closing her eyes and opening her mouth. Some of the pulses simply landed back on Nicks member, some on his stomach, but a couple landed on Judy's face, and she fought not to laugh at the warm feeling. One of them even landed in Judy's mouth, and she sampled the new taste, making an "mmm" for Nick's benefit.  
  
    "Nngh, Judy..." Nick grumbled, his feet trying to move to pet Judy's sides. Nick panted as his climax abated. Judy turned her head around and moved closer to the member, gently kissing it and licking his length of his release. "Careful, careful careful!" Nick pleaded. "Sensitive...!"  
  
    Judy nodded, being very gentle as she cleaned him, leaving off with a smooch to his tip with a strangely defiant gleam in her eye as she finished.  
  
    "There," Judy said proudly.  
  
    "That was so great, Judy," Nick panted, chuckling. Judy crawled into bed with him, hugging him close and burying his face in her chest. "Whew, a bunny and a fox..."  
  
    "That's right," Judy affirmed, nodding into his chest. "That's how it's going to be. We can fill each others wildest dreams, and even some we didn't even know we had."  
  
    "I'm liking it," Nick nodded, petting the bunny's back and butt. "What you just did makes me wonder, though. When bunnies get excited for sex, do their ears always perk up?"  
  
    "Not always," Judy said. "We can hide it."  
  
    "Ah," Nick chuckled. "I was wondering if I could call it an 'earection'."  
  
    Judy moved her face back from Nick and made a disgusted glare. Nick winced. "Ugh, Nick. Tax evasion."  
  
    "Okay, I'm sorry," Nick chuckled as Judy rested her head back on his chest.


	9. Chapter 9

    The first day of Nick and Judy's vacation had arrived. After their shower, the two stood in their bedroom nude, gathering clothes and other items to bring with them on the trip.  
  
    "We really don't need much for just a couple of nights," Judy mused, gathering some undergarments. "But we should probably take two suitcases, huh?"  
  
    "Afraid so, or else it'd be extremely obvious what's going on," Nick nodded. He began to get dressed, putting on a soft blue plaid shirt and jeans.   
  
    "What's this about?" Judy smiled. "Trying to cozy up to our 'hick' dress code?"  
  
    "Thought it might be nice," Nick smirked. "I look good in anything. You could put me in a dress and I'd rock it."   
  
    Judy chuckled, shaking her head. "Well, make sure you bring some of your normal, loud clothes, too. Let's see. Ooh!" Judy brought out a bright purple and orange shirt of Nick's over to his suitcase. "This one! Wear this tomorrow."  
  
    "Isn't that your absolute  _least_ favorite of my shirts?" Nick had to smirk. Judy started to get dressed. To match Nick, she decided to wear her pink plaid shirt; it still gave her fond memories when she looked at it. She put it on and started to hop into some jeans. Nick blatantly looked at her when she was just in her shirt and underwear, admiring the sight.   
  
    "Yeah, that's kind of the point," Judy smiled.  
  
    "What, is Serendipiday like opposite day?" Nick folded his arms, but then folded the shirt and placed it away.  
  
    "No, it's a day of bright color!" Judy said, pulling out an electric blue and yellow shirt. "I'll be wearing this. Just bought it a few days ago. Everyone will be wearing brightly colored clothes for the celebration."  
  
    "Huh," Nick said contemplatively. "I think that shirt is making my ears ring."  
  
    "You're one to talk," Judy said playfully, glaring at him as she packed up the shirt in defiance. She kept staring at him afterwards. "Mm... handsome." Nick made a little pose for her benefit. Judy bit her lip and ran her front teeth along the bottom curve of her slowly building smile. "Rgh... I have this enormous desire to chin you right now."  
  
    "And go into Bunnyburrow with me already smelling like you?" Nick winced. "Isn't that what we were trying to avoid with that extended shower?"  
  
    "I know, I know, it's just..." Judy shrugged anxiously. "I dunno. Just that feeling in me; it's almost like an instinct. I want others to know you're mine. Especially about a dozen sisters I could name that might be making eyes at you."  
  
    "I only have eyes for one bunny," Nick said proudly, gathering some more small things for their trip.  
  
    "Right, but they don't know that," Judy's lips pursed together. "Rgh. This is all going to fall apart very quickly, isn't it?"  
  
    Nick went over to kiss Judy on the forehead. "How about we start off thinking it's going to go well, that way we don't have to dread this trip?"  
  
    "Easier said than done," Judy smirked wryly.  
  
    "Here, maybe they'll miss the meaning, but there's more than one way to show them I'm yours," Nick said, opening a drawer and pulling out a red neckerchief. Judy gasped at the sight. She had gotten that neckerchief for Nick as a present for graduating the ZPD Academy. She had said she "owed" him for bleeding all over his Junior Ranger Scout's handkerchief. She felt especially bad for ruining it after Nick confessed to her what that little piece of cloth meant to him, and she extrapolated what it must have took him to use it to bandage her. So, she had gotten a replacement. Bigger, the same color, and lacking any sort of special insignias, but Nick still cherished it, and he seemed to carry it around even more now that they were lovers.  
  
    "Nick..." Judy smiled softly. "Oh you foxes, you're so sentimental..." Nick simply grinned at this and placed the neckerchief around his neck, tying it in a knot at the front. Judy giggled like a schoolgirl at his deft fingers making the practiced knot.  
  
    "Really, sugarbutt?" Nick rolled his eyes. "Let's try to keep the knot jokes to a minimum, as well."  
  
    "Gee, being a responsible adult is no fun at all," Judy smirked.  
  
    "I hear that," Nick nodded.   
  


* * *

  
    The two entered the train to Bunnyburrow, sitting next to each other in a medium-sized mammal section. More mammals filled up the space of the train, and it departed the station unceremoniously.  
  
    "So, who would you say we're more afraid of finding out?" Nick said with his hands on his knees, looking at Judy.  
  
    "My mom," Judy rolled her eyes. "She can be so judgemental. I'm surprised she took to you so easily, to be honest."  
  
    "Not your dad and his arsenal of anti-fox stuff?" Nick chuckled.  
  
    "Ah, trust me, his ego has already paid for that in full," Judy shook her head and smiled. "Dad's a sweetie. Just be yourself around him and you two will be like the best of friends. Try to avoid mom's piercing stare. I swear she's a psychic."  
  
    "Good to know," Nick rocked back and forth a bit as hidden anxiety flowed through his stomach. "So, can you tell me anything else about Serendipiday?"  
  
    "It's a surprise!" Judy said brightly.  
  
    "I know _that_ ," Nick huffed. "Anything else?"  
  
    "Well, that's what it is!" Judy smiled, shutting her eyes. Her feet wiggled. "It's definitely my favorite holiday, just edging out the Carrot Days festival in October."  
      
    "Uh, is it anything like Carrot Days?" Nick winced. "I'm going to be honest here, I was only pretending to like it when you brought me over for that one two years ago."  
  
    "Nick!" Judy nudged him with playful scorn. "It's not...  _totally_ like the Carrot Days festival! It's... well, what do you think of when you hear the word serendipity?"  
  
    "That's like a happy surprise, right?" Nick shrugged.   
  
    "Exactly!" Judy said. "That's what it's all about, every tradition and celebration in the whole thing. That's also why outsiders to the festival have to come into it 'blind', because the spirit of the celebration is all about surprise and wonder."  
  
    "Huh," Nick folded his arms. "Well, you're hyping it up so much, I wonder if I'm going to build up some unrealistic expectations for this thing."  
  
    " _Trust_ me, Nick," Judy placed her hands together and rotated them slightly towards Nick. "You're going to  _love_ it. It's so much fun, and-"  
  
    "Is that... is that that _filth_ -spewing Judy Hopps!?" an angry feminine voice interrupted Judy, and she turned to look for its source. Seated within eyesight of them were a couple of wolverines, a furious-looking female one with glasses, and a male, surprised at the outburst.  
  
    "Martha!" the male wolverine turned to her and put a finger to his lips.  
  
    "Don't you try to hush me, Carl!" Martha said, anger twisting her face. She thrust a claw pointedly at Judy. "That little tail-hole cost me my job!"  
  
    "Oh boy," Nick muttered. Judy's teeth showed in worry.  
  
    "I just, maybe you shouldn't make a scene..." Carl suggested, his hands up defensively.  
  
    "Shut _up_ , Carl!" Martha snapped. "You know how we've been struggling to make ends meet!" She glared daggers at Judy. "If it wasn't for your little implication that predators could go savage at any time, I wouldn't have been let go!"  
  
    "Oh no..." Judy's eyes turned up and a look of deep regret passed over her face. "I'm so, so sorry about that. I really... I made statements without all the facts and I really screwed up. I just-"  
  
    "So it's true what they say about you bunny does, then!" Martha interrupted, sneering angrily. "The lips on your  _face_ are as loose as the ones between your _legs_!"  
  
    A few mammals gasped at this. Judy and Nick both seemed shocked.   
  
    "Martha...!" Carl hissed in embarrassment at the increased number of stares.   
  
    "Do you maybe want to try that again?" Nick said testily. "We're both police officers."  
  
    "So what, are you going to arrest me?" Martha slapped at her chest and held her hands out at her sides as if to challenge him. "It's a free country; I can say what I want! But it'd be just like the first twisted fox cop to abuse his power! She should be in jail with the amount of lives she ruined!" Judy's head turned away and her teeth barely showed. Nick sighed and got up from his seat, drawing closer to Martha. "Yeah, come and get me! You're about to see some police brutality, folks!" Nick said nothing. "I'm not scared of you just because you're a larger predator! C'mon and throw down!"  
  
    "Nick?" Judy looked worried.  
  
    "Please, sir," Carl said. "My wife, she just gets like this sometimes. She's very, uh... fervent."  
  
    "Shut _up_ , Carl!" Martha sneered at him. She looked back at Nick. "C'mon, hit me, you musk-ridden _dog_!"  
  
    Nick raised his right claw, causing gasps. Then, after a tense moment, he simply scratched his ear and an easy smile played on on his face. "Martha, I do wish you luck finding another job with that winsome personality of yours." Carl collapsed in his seat and Martha looked extremely offended.  
  
    "C'mon, Nick, lets go," Judy had both of their suitcases in her hands.   
  
    "Go where, Judy?" Nick looked at her. "We're on a train."  
  
    "How about you both jump out the window, you trash-lickers?" Martha sneered. Judy tossed her an angry glare, but didn't reply to her. "Run away like you abandoned Zootopia for three months! Maybe this time you should stay in Bunnyburrow!" Judy felt herself seething, but she discarded her rage and looked at Nick with only a barely miffed expression.  
  
    "You're going to get us arrested one of these days, Martha or worse," Carl grumbled with his hand over his eyes. Martha said nothing.  
  
    Judy nodded her head diagonally. "Observation deck looks empty. Let's go." Nick went over, took his suitcase from Judy, and followed her up to the observation deck. There was only the upper part of a single giraffe also occupying this space. Judy sighed, slumping against the hand rail.  
  
    "You okay, bunny?" Nick headed over and rubbed her shoulder.  
  
    "Yeah, it's getting easier," Judy sighed. "Five years. I feel like I've been cussed out by every species of predator there is at this point. Well, wolverine was new anyway."  
  
    "Wolverines, right?" Nick smirked. "Nasty little critters."  
  
    "Nick," Judy rolled her eyes over to him. "Stereotyping is how I got into this whole mess."  
  
    "She fit it so well, though," Nick said, giving Judy a hug. "You good?"  
  
    "I'm good," Judy made no effort to hug back, though she appreciated the warmth and protective nature of the big fox hug. "To be honest it's harder to care about that wolverine's plight when she has such a foul mouth."  
  
    "I'm thinking she wasn't  _only_ let go for being a predator during the savage thing," Nick chuckled. Judy smiled up at him, hugging around Nick and touching their noses together.   
  
    "Ah, sorry to interrupt," a new voice said. The two turned their heads to see the giraffe. He had a sheepish smile.  
  
    "Oh, uh, our bad," Nick said, breaking from Judy, who held her hands behind her back. "Kinda forgot we weren't entirely alone."  
  
    "No big deal," the giraffe smiled. "Names Frank. Just wanted to say I'm a huge fan of you two."  
  
    "This is a quick one-eighty," Judy smirked, folding her arms.  
  
    "No, I'm serious," Frank blinked, his eyes big. "My sister's best friend is one of the wolves that was targeted in the Night Howler mess. Those two do everything together... so I don't want to think about what would have happened had you two not happened by."  
  
    "Well," Judy rubbed behind her head. "If it wasn't us, it probably would have been someone else."  
  
    "Would it have been, though?" Nick scratched at his chin.  
  
    "Thanks, anyway," Frank smiled. "I'm sure this is easy for me to say because I'm a prey, but I'm pretty sure  _some_ mammals who felt slighted by that press conference wouldn't hold a five-year grudge."  
  
    "I know of at least one," Judy smiled fondly at Nick. Nick jokingly turned his head as if he was looking along with her at some invisible mammal next to them. Judy sighed warmly. "This is supposed to be just a train ride, but it seems more like an emotional roller-coaster." Nick had to agree, and nodded.  
  
    Frank chuckled, then looked annoyed. "Oh, freakin'!" The two looked to see what had his attention, and a fly was buzzing around near his muzzle. The fly landed directly between his nostrils on the tip of his muzzle. Frank wagged his muzzle but the fly held fast. "Rgh, you're asking for it!" The giraffe shot out his long, bluish tongue and it flicked the fly away. "And stay off."  
  
    Judy's eyes widened a bit at the exchange. Nick nudged her subtly.  
  
    "And you thought  _my_ tongue was big..." Nick muttered in a low voice.  
  
    Judy could barely stifle her laugh.  
  


* * *

  
    After arriving at the Bunnyburrow station, Nick and Judy headed off the train, their luggage in tow. They waited until almost the last second to try to avoid the two wolverines they encountered earlier, which they did, to their silent relief.   
  
    "Now where's..." Judy asked, trailing off. "Ah!" Judy smiled and rushed forward across the platform, spotting a pair of familiar siblings: a tall, lanky, cream-colored bunny with steel-blue eyes, and a teenage bunny girl, very light gray and sporting bluish-green eyes. "Jenny! Jayce!"  
  
    "Judy!" Jenny said, rushing at her. The two embraced as soon as Judy dropped her luggage. "Oh! How is my favorite weird sister?"  
  
    "Do you mean I'm your favorite sister that happens to be weird, or your favorite of your weird sisters?" Judy asked.  
  
    "Eh!" Jenny shrugged playfully. Judy smirked and pushed her away; Jenny giggling in response.   
  
    "Hey, Jayce," Nick gave the bunny a firm handshake. He was nearly a head taller than Judy; the fox didn't know they  _made_ bunnies that tall.  
  
    "I'd ask if you're ready for the holiday, but I know you aren't," Jayce had a secretive smile on. "How about: are you ready to face our parents now that you two are official?"  
  
    "Heck if I know," Nick said cheerfully. "But here I am anyway."  
  
    "Boy, that's the spirit," Jayce chuckled, and Judy giggled a bit.  
  
    "Gimme those! Let me help you old folks out!" Jenny rapidly opened and closed her hands, taking both of their suitcases. She scrambled off towards Jayce's truck, opening the side door and fitting them in the back, where she remained.  
  
    "Oh, to be a teenager and full of youth," Judy's eyes rolled so hard it almost hurt a little.   
  
    "Truck's only a two-seater up front," Jayce smirked. "But I'm guessing that won't be a problem for you two?"  
  
    "We'll deal," Nick nodded. Nick headed into the car first, then pat his lap. Judy fought an encroaching grin as she sat on Nicks lap and he brought the seat belt over both of them. He then wrapped his paws around Judy's lap for added support. Jenny grinned devilishly at noticing this, and Jayce started the truck with a blithe smile. The truck pulled out onto the country road; it would still be a good thirty minutes of driving to get to the Hopp's Compound.  
  
    The ride was peacefully quiet for nearly one minute.  
  
    "So..." Jenny led, her mouth in a dramatic "o" shape as she bounced around in the back with the luggage. "How is he?"  
  
    "How  _is_ he?" Judy replied.   
  
    "Yeah!" Jenny chirped. "How  _is_ he?" Nick was quiet, looking out at the rolling hills out the window.  
  
    "I'm not sure I know what you mean," Judy lied.  
  
    Jenny sighed dramatically. "C'mon... don't make this difficult."  
  
    "Jenny, you're a kit," Judy scolded. "I'm not going to discuss how Nick 'is' with you."  
  
    "I'm not a ki-" Jenny started, then gasped. "So you two  _are_ doing something!"  
  
    Judy grit her teeth firmly. "Sap of a birch." Jenny and Jayce both laughed heartily and Nick tried not to break out in an awkward smile.  
  
    "Judy's right, Jen," Jayce smiled broadly. "We may be bunnies, but you  _are_ a bit young to be talking about such things with your sister. So, Judy. How is Nick?"  
  
    "Saw that one coming," Nick muttered.  
  
    "For crying out loud, would you two back off?" Judy snapped. "I haven't even set foot at home and you're already on my tail about this? Nick and I are in love, okay? Isn't that all you need to know?"  
  
    "I think it's kinda sweet how you're rubbing your seat belt's paws," Jenny teased. Judy swallowed, but defiantly kept doing this. It was kind of soothing to her, and she felt like she was going to need a lot of soothing if this rate of teasing kept up. "Aw, cute...!"  
  
    "Chill, Jenny," Judy warned. Jenny chuckled, but kept quiet.  
  
    "Is that still a problem for you, Judy?" Jayce asked with surprising concern. "Have you seen a doctor about it?"  
  
    "A doctor?" Nick piped up. "What for?"  
  
    "Ugh!" Judy snapped. "I don't need a doctor!" She squinted her eyes shut and groaned. "Okay. While we're embarrassing me, I guess I should tell you something, Nick. You're bound to hear it from one of the busybodies around here. When I was growing up, as a teenager, I uh... I didn't have much of a 'drive'."  
  
    "Ah," Nick said, his ears warming.  
  
    "Yeah, so," Judy shrugged. "So some of my family was worried. I'm sure you can imagine what a 'normal' bunny might be doing with her teenage years." Judy shot a dirty look to Jenny, who smiled innocently.  
  
    "Mm," Nick nodded. "Well, normal or not, I like what I've got here."  
  
    Judy smiled gratefully, feeling one of Nick's fingers come up to trace her smile with his blunt claw to make sure it was there.  
  
    "Wow," Jayce briefly glanced at them. "That's almost insufferably cute."  
  
    "I have a feeling I'm going to be hearing the dreaded 'c-word' a lot in the next few days," Nick muttered.  
  
    "Well, a bunny  _can_ call another bunny cute, unfortunately," Judy rolled her eyes, smirking. She felt Nick's muzzle subtly stroke her ears, which it was positioned between. There was a small reprieve where nothing but the engine of the truck made noise.   
  
    Surprising the bunnies, Nick was the one who finally broke the silence.  
  
    "Could have fooled me," Nick said quietly. Judy gasped tersely.  
  
    "Pardon?" Jayce asked, his ears twitching as he barely heard the comment.   
  
    "About that 'drive' thing," Nick coughed.  
  
    "Nick...!" Judy hissed. Jenny let out a huge gasp.  
  
    "I knew it! I  _knew_ it!" Jenny shouted in glee. "What's he like!?"  
  
    "Shut up, Jenny," Judy said, though her voice had no malice. "This doesn't get to mom and dad."  
  
    "Of course not," Jayce smirked. "And Jenny, if you tattle I will personally toss you in the lake."  
  
    "Never!" Jenny was bouncing in her seat. "So...!?"  
  
    "He's... good," Judy squeaked bashfully. Nick huffed at the terse comment.   
  
    "That's it?" Jenny asked incredulously. "What a letdown."  
  
    " _He's_ sure not a letdown," Judy went on, feeling her toes curl as her ears grew warmer.   
  
    "So, Nick!" Jenny went on. "What's  _your_ opinion on Judy?"  
  
    Nick said nothing, but licked his snout. Jenny squealed.  
  
    "Dang..." Jayce marveled, shaking his head. "Lucky girl." Judy felt like her ears were on fire.  
  
    "Holy _squash_!" Jenny said, her paws to her cheeks.  
  
    "Watch your language, young lady," Jayce scolded.  
  
    "Ugh, I can't believe two bunnies already know," Judy groaned, holding a paw over her forehead. Her other arm nudged Nick in the stomach and he chuckled lightly.  
  
    "Hey, I was just agreeing you didn't need a doctor," Nick smirked, squeezing the bunny in his arms gently.  
  
    "Mm!" Jenny excitedly bit down on her fist.  
  
    After what felt like ages, Nick and Judy eventually got out of the truck and they both headed to the front door of the Hopps Compound. Nick's wits and nerves were on high alert. Beyond that door were trials. Judy's parents, who he had to win over even more or at least do damage control against. Judy's innumerable older siblings, who between them had every possible opinion about the fox. Whatever mysteries and surprises awaited him for this holiday that Judy had played up so much.  
  
    And of course, the clusterfluffle. Judy's small army of younger siblings. Most of them loved Nick to the point of physical pain. He drew in a steadying breath.  
  
    "You ready, Nick?" Judy tossed him a small, unsure smile, placing her hand on his shoulder.  
  
    "Nope," Nick smiled, despite himself.  
  
    "Me either," Judy chuckled. "Let's go."  
  
    Nick opened the door, trying to keep his face even.


	10. Chapter 10

    Nick braced himself as he and Judy walked into the main entry hall with Jenny and Jayce. Any second now he expected the stampede of little bunny feet that would end with him on the floor and being crawled all over by at least a dozen small bunnies. But it didn't come. Instead, some teenagers and a few young adult bunnies were all that populated the entry hall.  
  
    "Ah, hey Nick! Judy," one waved his hand in greeting.  
    "Judy brought her fox!" a wavering, flirty voice from a female.  
    "Long time no see, you two!" another female.  
    "Calm before the storm, right Judy?" a male chided as he walked by.  
  
    "What's going on here?" Nick looked around nervously. "Where's all the little ones?"  
  
    "Out till evening I would think," Judy nodded. "It's the Serendipiteve festival; that's the one all the little kits go to."  
  
    "You  _would_ call it that," Nick smirked, his eyes half-lidded.  
  
    "I would have been on kit duty if it weren't for being your chauffeur," Jayce smirked, carrying Nick's luggage. "So thanks for that."  
  
    "My pleasure?" Nick responded.  
  
    "Jenny and I will put your stuff in the first guest room," Jayce said.  
  
    "We  _definitely_ won't look through it for any weird stuff," Jenny added.  
  
    "Watch it, Jen," Judy warned, shaking her finger at the slightly smaller bunny, "if Jayce doesn't throw you in the lake, _I will_." Jenny just giggled and scampered off with Jayce lagging behind her.  
  
    Nick clapped his hands together and rubbed them. "So! What now, Ju-"  
  
    "Nick!" Stu's voice loudly burst from behind him.  
  
    "Deee!?" Nick started in surprise as Stu suddenly hugged Nick from behind.  
  
    Judy laughed. "Dad!"  
  
    "How are you doing, my boy?" Stu squeezed the fox tightly. "Good to see you!"  
  
    "Doing just great!" Nick said loudly before Stu released the hug. Nick gasped, clutching at his stomach.  
  
    "Great to see you again, Judy," Stu smiled warmly, hugging Judy as well. Bonnie appeared in the entry hall at the commotion.  
  
    "Judy! Nick!" Bonnie smiled. She drew closer, her arms open for a hug. Judy bounded into her mother's arms.  
  
    "Hi you guys," Judy said affectionately. While she was hugging her mother, Nick caught Bonnie glaring at him with an even face and almost a twinkle in her eye. Nick gave a slight wave and the most honest smile he could muster. An almost mischievous smile crept across Bonnie's face at this. Nick felt his mouth dry; there was no way she could already know, could she?  
  
    "Did you get everything, Stu?" Bonnie asked her husband.  
  
    "Sure did!" Stu ran his hands along his suspenders. "I don't suppose I could ask for your help, Nick?"  
  
    "Of course, I'd be-" Nick started.  
  
    "Dad!" Judy held her arms out. "We basically just got here!"  
  
    "Oh, rude of you, Stu," Bonnie chided playfully. "Do you need anything to drink?"  
  
    Nick shook his head. "I'm good. I can help."  
  
    "There we go! You see?" Stu smiled, patting Nick's back. "Nice work ethic. C'mon out front with me, Nick!" Stu led Nick out the front door. Bonnie beckoned Judy over with a coy expression. She led her into the vast kitchen area.  
  
    "C'mon, Judy, I need to finally teach you how to make your male happy," Bonnie said.  
  
    Judy's head and face twitched as if she'd been slapped. "Excuse me!?"  
  
    "Oh, I just meant how to make my famous vegetable casserole that he likes so much!" Bonnie said in a high, faux-innocent tone. "What did you  _think_ I meant?"  
  
    "Don't play games with me, mom," Judy rolled her eyes. "I just got here. Besides, you know I'm useless at cooking."  
  
    "Nick loves my casserole, so it should be  _your_ casserole too," Bonnie said. "The way to a male's heart is through his stomach!" Bonnie briefly looked at her phone, checking some lists. "Since you and Nick are our guests, I'll have you eat at the first dinner placement with some of your more favored siblings. No one in there that dislikes Nick."  
  
    "Mm, thanks," Judy shrugged and nodded non-noncommittally, washing her paws and beginning to help her mother in the kitchen, following her directions to prepare the evening Serendipiteve meal.  
  
    "So, are you going to tell me why you and Nick are wearing so much scent blocker today, or would you like me to guess?" Bonnie asked in an even voice.  
  
    "Mom!" Judy hissed. "What, do you want a job as a detective at the ZPD?"  
  
    "Unless you two suddenly developed a major odor problem, it's suspicious. That's all I'm saying," Bonnie smiled as she carried a tray to an oven.  
  
    Judy felt her ears twitching in annoyance. "Mother, Nick and I are not having sex!"  
  
    It was true, from a certain perspective. She had also said it in quite a loud voice. A few bunny heads turned toward her. Judy cringed; her shoulders scrunched up.  
  
    "Oh," Bonnie said simply, turning away from Judy.  
  
    "What do you _mean_ , 'oh'?" Judy fumed. "Here I am barely fifteen minutes into my visit here and you're already grilling me about what I'm doing with Nick? You're the one who said I was 'forward' for being at Nick's apartment."  
  
    Bonnie flicked her hand. "Oh that was mostly for your father's benefit, dear. Plus, I know about your little 'problem' and all, so I just thought-"  
  
    "I don't have a problem-!" Judy said, then interrupted herself as her voice was almost a shriek. She harshly whispered: "I don't have a problem, mom! My 'drive' is _just fine_."  
  
    Bonnie's brow knit and she tilted her head slightly. "And yet you don't do anything with your boyfriend?"  
  
    "I..." Judy was at a loss.  
  
    "I don't know if I like the sound of that," Bonnie said curtly, actually seeming displeased as she moved around the kitchen like quicksilver. "Physical expressions of affection are very important in a relationship. Especially to bunnies. I'm sorry I didn't give you this talk much earlier, but you never had much of an interest in anything besides your career dream when you were in high school."  
  
    "Mom, I..." Judy winced, turning her head away as she made a few cursory efforts to help. "I don't think you'd understand Nick and I. He's a predator and I'm-"  
  
    "You're both mammals, Judy," Bonnie shook her head. "What we all need at a basic level is all the same. We just need different flavors. Speaking of, it's a good thing Nick is a vegetarian, else he wouldn't like my casserole so much." Bonnie chuckled, grabbing a few containers of seasonings out of a cupboard.  
  
    "He..." Judy bit her lip. She didn't really want to admit it, but she didn't want to undersell Nick to her parents, either. "Nick... takes care of me, mom."  
  
    "He does?" Bonnie immediately brightened, setting her handful of spices down and rushing over to Judy. "That's wonderful!" She then looked irritated. "Don't you lie to me, Missy. You said you weren't having sex."  
  
    "We're not!" Judy said lamely. "Not... not _yet_ , anyway. We do... 'other' things..."  
  
    "Like...?" Bonnie asked, to Judy's horrified expression. "Oh come on now Judy, we're _bunnies_. This is what we do."  
  
    "Mom, I told you that you wouldn't get it," Judy shook her head.  
  
    "Bunbun, how weird do you really think you are?" Bonnie smirked, putting her hands on her hips. "Between all of your brothers and sisters experimenting with their lovers, I've accidentally walked in on just about anything you could imagine. Had to help one of your brothers down when his girlfriend tied him naked to a ceiling fan."  
  
    "A... what?" Judy's eyes went wide. "Why would...?"  
  
    "See?" Bonnie shrugged, laughing. "I'm sure anything you do makes much more sense by comparison."  
  
    "Well," Judy started hesitantly, moving to help more in the kitchen, following Bonnie's lead. "I kind of... well, we have this thing we do sometimes. He acts like he's a big tough predator, and I'm a meek, helpless prey."  
  
    Bonnie blinked. "I have to admit, that's the  _last_ thing I'd expect you to do."  
  
    "Yeah, well," Judy brushed a hand through her ears. "It's sort of a trust thing, I guess. I've felt so driven and in control of my life, that to surrender and pretend I'm weak and vulnerable for Nick, and for him to never betray that trust..."  
  
    "Mm, I get it," Bonnie nodded. "But if you're not having sex, what's all that in aid of?"  
  
    "Well, uh..." Judy's teeth showed as she nervously rubbed her neck. "At the end of it, he usually, ah... eats me."  
  
    " _Eats_ you?" Bonnie blinked, but realization struck her not a second later. "Ohhh..." Her face grew bright. "Well! He sounds like a keeper, honey!"  
  
    "Mom..." Judy wailed, pulling her hot ears over her similarly warm face. "Please don't mention any of this to dad..."  
  
    "Of course not!" Bonnie giggled. "This is just some harmless girl talk."  
  
    "Right," Judy rolled her eyes, not even a little bit convinced of this.  
  
    Meanwhile, just outside, Nick was helping Stu unload numerous, rather heavy cardboard boxes from the bunny's truck.  
  
    "Just set them down along the inside of the entry hall wall there," Stu indicated a space.  
  
    "What's all this stuff?" Nick wondered.  
  
    "A surprise!" Stu said in a jolly voice.  
  
    "Ah, the constant refrain," Nick smirked. "At least I won't have to wait too much longer to see what all this is about."  
  
    "Not too much longer at all!" Stu nodded. "The Serendipiteve dinner is coming up, after all."  
  
    "Are there some sort of traditional foods involved?" Nick asked.  
  
    "Nope!" Stu chuckled, a bounce in his step as he carried a box. "It's sort of the point. You make something unusual; a surprise! Bonnie kind of cheats, though. She just slightly messes with her famous casserole recipe. She kind of uses the holiday as an excuse to try to improve it."  
  
    "Oh my _God_ ," Nick's eyes went wide. "Bonnie's casserole..."  
  
    "Mm hm," Stu nodded warmly. "Thought you might approve." Nick headed to the doorway, another box in his arms. "So Nick, have you and my daughter mated yet?"  
  
    "Ghk!" Nick stumbled, almost dropping the box. He put his arms around it quickly to steady it.  
  
    "Oh, careful!" Stu warned. "That stuff's explosive."  
  
    "Explosive!?" Nick's eyes widened. He set this box down with much more care than the others. "W-what's in here, again?"  
  
    "I probably should have waited until you set the box down to ask," Stu had an apologetic, teeth-baring smile.  
  
    "Or maybe just _not ask_?" Nick winced. "I don't want to answer a question that might get me stabbed with a pitchfork."  
  
    "Oh come on now, son," Stu said, patting Nick on the back, to his exaggerated flinch. "Wow, you're tense."  
  
    "A little!" Nick agreed in an understatement.  
  
    "We're bunnies," Stu shrugged. "We may seem backwards in some ways, but when it comes to affairs of the heart, I think we're a little more understanding than the average mammal."  
  
    "Stu," Nick held up a hand slightly towards him. "Judy and I... we're not... we haven't mated." It wasn't technically a lie, Nick reasoned.  
  
    "You haven't?" Stu seemed somewhat upset, catching Nick completely off guard, which his face showed. "Ah, okay." Stu nodded.  
  
    "I have to admit that this is exactly the opposite reaction I expected from you," Nick muttered.  
  
    "N-no, it's fine," Stu grinned, his lips wobbling subtly. "It's just... you know, bunnies can be quite emotional."  
  
    "You don't say?" Nick tried to bury his sarcasm and failed. Stu chuckled gently.  
  
    "There's no greater emotional expression between two mammals than to make love," Stu proclaimed wistfully. Nick brushed a hand through his warming ears, trying not to cringe. "The way Judy talks about you in our phone calls, she seems... y'know, she seems like she's really in love with you. So I just thought..."  
  
    "I mean, we do play around a bit," Nick surprised himself by admitting this rather quickly. "We just haven't technically... you know... mated."  
  
    "Oh, that's a relief," Stu smiled. He shook his head. "As long as you're making her happy I don't care if she has you tie her to a ceiling fan."  
  
    Nick's eyes went wide as his face was smitten with incredulity. "...A ceiling fan?"  
  
    "It's a long story," Stu chuckled.  
  
    "I mean, nothing so unusual," Nick waved his paw back and forth as if to dismiss the idea. "But there's this thing she does with her ears, and it's just... wow. You know?"  
  
    "Her _ears_?" Stu repeated in a hushed voice. "Huh. Can't say I've heard that one before. Her ears..." Nick started to cringe as it was clear that Stu was trying to envision the logistics of this in his head. "How would you...? ...No, no, I think I got it... Huh. I'll have to see if Bonnie's up to that sometime."  
  
    Nick made a soft whine, holding his hand over his eyes.  
  
    "Sorry for making you uncomfortable, my boy," Stu patted him on the back again.  
  
    "We  _were_ going to try to keep all of this secret," Nick grumbled.  
  
    "How like Judy to buck tradition," Stu smiled. "We bunnies are usually very open about this sort of thing."  
  
    "Regardless, I'd like to follow her wishes. Though at the moment I'm continually failing to do so," Nick had a wide, wry frown on.  
  
    "Ah, it's okay, son, it can just be between us guys," Stu said, putting his arm around Nick's side and squeezing him a little. His mind flashed back to his earlier line. "Heh, 'buck' tradition. Hey, did you know I used to call her Jude the Dude?"  
  
    "No kidding?" Nick's muzzle perked back up into a smirk as he carefully got another box to unload.  
  
    "Yeah, I can't remember if she really liked it or not, though," Stu tapped his finger on his chin rapidly.  
  
    "Regardless, I probably shouldn't call her a nickname that her father uses," Nick noted, chuckling.  
  
    "Ah, no, right, of course," Stu babbled, nervously laughing. "That might be bad."  
  


* * *

  
    Nick, Judy, and about two dozen other bunnies all joined for the first dinner seating. As Nick sat, he tried not to drool. Bonnie shot him a smile as she set out pans of her famous vegetable casserole, along with garlic bread and a marinara sauce for dipping. Bonnie gave the fox a small wave as she headed off to the kitchen to prepare the next round of food for placement. Nick's stomach made a small commotion.  
  
    A cream-colored teenage bunny with brown masking sat next to Nick on his left, with Judy on Nick's right. The bunny's name was Bradley, though he preferred to be called "Rad". He wore a backwards red cap, t-shirt, and open flannel shirt over that.  
  
    "Ooh, a growling fox! Scary!" Bradley mocked in his somewhat scratchy voice. He held his arms away from Nick as if intimidated by him.  
  
    "I could growl for real if you want, Rad," Nick said conversationally, reaching out to serve himself.  
  
    "Ah, hold on, you!" Judy slapped his hand away. Nick looked at Judy, and she tilted her head at him in the very reproving way she normally used. "And please don't."  
  
    A young adult bunny that looked similar to Judy sat down, though she lacked black ear-tips and instead sported more muted purple eyes and glasses. This bunny was called Violet. She adjusted her glasses and gave a small huff of annoyance. She wore a dark-colored sweater and a skirt and was seated across from Judy.  
  
    "It is customary for a bunny to offer a benediction before the Serendipiteve meal," Violet explained patiently. Knowing her, Nick figured that she must be more annoyed with the custom than Nick's inadvertent rudeness.  
  
    "I guess I can say it; I'm the oldest here," Jayce said, sitting across from Nick. The fox's eyes darted around as the bunnies looked like they did nothing to prepare for the prayer. He placed his hands together in reverence, his eyes last darting to Judy, who just smiled as if his action was adorable.  
  
    "Serendipity," Jayce began. "Thanks for all the surprises you've helped bestow on us these years; especially bringing a fox into our lives! He's been a hoot! _BLAM_!"  
  
   _"BLAM!" "BANG!" "BOOM!"_  
  
    Other bunnies joined in the shout at the end, making Nick flinch. Light laughter at Nick's reaction soon filled the table.  
  
    "So, uh, was that it?" Nick looked around.  
  
    "Yeah, you can get your food now, silly," Judy said in a warm voice, starting to get some herself.  
  
    "Short prayer," Nick noted.  
  
    "Serendipity is said to have a low attention span," Violet said in a dry voice. "That's why it's traditional to shout at the end of it."  
  
    "I'll remember that for next time," Nick nodded. Violet barely smiled and nodded. There was a small lull as the bunnies began to dole themselves out food. Nick decided to break the silence.  
  
    "So, Serendipity..." Nick chewed on his lip while dishing out himself some casserole, bread, and sauce. "Is that a bunny deity?"  
  
    "She is!" Judy exclaimed, starting to eat.  
  
    "I had only heard of Fertility, to be honest," Nick tried to keep a straight face while saying this.  
  
    "Ah yes, a goddess much more in line with the bunny's most well-known proclivities," Violet smirked. Nick shrugged and nodded.  
  
    "You never heard that bunnies are lucky, Nick?" Jenny tilted her head, seated on Jayce's other side.  
  
    "Not particularly, but I could believe it," Nick looked at Judy, who closed her eyes and smiled pleasantly as she chewed a mouthful. Nick hummed in delight at the rich flavor of Bonnie's casserole, sprinkled with hints of subtle seasonings that brought out the taste. "Ah, so good."  
  
    "Mom makes a mean casserole, huh?" Jayce chuckled.  
  
    "So mean I think I can hear it telling me to stop eating it and go back to Zootopia," Nick joked. More light laughter.  
  
    "Nick!" Judy shoved him. "You know you're welcome here..."  
  
    "Indeed!" Violet nodded. She got out her phone. "Please tell me if either you or Judy encounter any of my siblings being unpleasant. I am compiling a list, and I will be sure to give them a lesson in tact."  
  
    "Uh, that's fine," Nick shook his head. "Everyone's entitled to their opinions, after all."  
  
    "You're our guest, Nick, and you should be treated as one," Jayce said, pointing his fork at him. "Anyone who thinks less kindly of you only has to put up with you for a couple of days anyway, and that's not too much to ask of anyone."  
  
    "I guess, though I am dating your sister..." Nick shrugged.  
  
    "All the more reason for us to be concerned about you!" Jenny said. Another round of chuckles.  
  
    "Jenny!" Judy said with a fierce grin. Jenny made a face at Judy. Nick chuckled; lapines really did have tiny tongues.  
  
    "Hey Nick!" Bradley tapped on Nick's shoulder. "You got a car?"  
  
    Nick shook his head, swallowing a bite of food. "Nope. Zootopia's really convenient to get around when off work, so I haven't really needed one."  
  
    "Aw, that sucks," Bradley clicked at his teeth. "Dad has basically a small fleet of cars and trucks. If you did get one, what'd it be like?"  
  
    Nick formed and quickly swallowed a mischievous grin. "Ah, probably a convertible. It'd have to be red. Smooth and fast. Of course, I'd have to make sure bunnies could ride it." Nick tried not to make his voice hitch as Judy repeatedly kicked at his ankles underneath the table. Some of the older of the Hopps children were trying to stifle laughs, Violet rolled her eyes and smirked, and the joke was lost on some of the younger ones, like Bradley.  
  
    "Nice!" Bradley said. "Sounds like it'd be awesome!"  
  
    "Mm, that's the idea," Nick replied, to one more kick.  
  
    Violet cleared her throat loudly. "Are you looking forward to the festivities tomorrow, Nick?"  
  
    "I still have no idea what they entail," Nick shrugged his shoulders, starting to feel full from gorging himself on Bonnie's cooking.  
  
    "Ah good, that's part of the fun," Jayce said. "Judy'll probably be your guide through the celebration."  
  
    "Mm!" Judy nodded. "I've been looking forward to it for awhile now."  
  
    "Is it very religious, this ceremony?" Nick asked.  
  
    "Not at all," Violet replied. "Most of it is about enjoying oneself. I doubt many, if any of us Hopps truly _believe_ there is some Celestial like Serendipity watching over us."  
  
    "Like I said," Nick shrugged. "You could probably convince me in a fairly short time that Judy's been charmed."  
  
    "What, by a scoundrel fox?" Jenny teased, leaning in. More laughter erupted, and even Judy joined in.  
  
    "Well, that," Nick chuckled, "and... well, I should tell you some more things about the Night Howler incident. So many crazy coincidences put us in the right places in the right times."  
  
    "Statistically, bunnies have shown to be more 'fortunate' than other animals," Violet twisted her mouth. "Though it could be just because there is such a high sample size to work with."  
  
    "Dude, tell us more about your adventures!" Bradley said. "I've only heard the cliff notes version, and it sounded _awesome_!"  
  
    "Awesome and dangerous," Nick nodded. "It all started when-"  
  
    Suddenly, high pitched screeching and gasping rang through the entry hall. Many pairs of bunny ears twitched and turned toward the noise, and Nick turned his head.  
  
    "Oh no," the fox muttered in despair.  
  
    "Afraid so..." Judy's teeth showed in a wince.  
  
    "The kits are here...!" Nick exclaimed in near panic.  
  
    They approached him in a stampede, shouting greetings and assurances of their affection and excitement for Nick. Carefully but swiftly, as if one entity, the wave of bunnies descended quickly upon Nick and only Nick. Bunnies pounced on him, hugged him, and started pulling him out of his chair.  
  
    "Shoo! Get out of here, kits!" Judy scolded. "Nick's eating!" It was no use, however. The fluffle of bunnies only tended to respond to the firm commands of their mother or father.  
  
    "H-hey kits!" Nick said, adding a direction to Judy hurriedly: "It's okay, Judy, just save me a little bit more, and some dessert if there's any!"  
  
    "I'm going to get dad in here if they aren't off you by dessert," Judy muttered.  
  
    Nick was conveyed off of his chair by lots of tiny bunny hands and dragged away, accompanied by a din of inquiries and exclamations that made Nick's ears flatten.  
  
    "Nick! Do you have any candy!?"  
    "I love you, Nick!"  
    "Nick do you really love Judy?"  
    "Will you read us a story?"  
    "Yeah! Read us a story!"  
    "Nick, do you have a car?"  
  


* * *

  
    A few hours later, Nick and Judy went to the guest bedroom to turn in for the night. Nick rubbed his belly, feeling full.  
  
    "I can't believe mom actually made carrot cheesecake drizzled with blueberries," Judy shook her head. "She's really trying to spoil you." Judy removed her clothes, starting to get her cottony night outfit out from the suitcase. Before she did this, Nick yanked her back for a quick hug from behind and a growl.  
  
    "You know how much I like carrot cheesecake," Nick muttered sensually, his hands feeling around Judy's curvature. Judy cooed in pleasure as Nick kissed her cheek and licked her neck, then wriggled out of his grasp.  
  
    "Mm, as much as I want to, we better not start anything..." Judy said mournfully. "This is kind of why I wanted to just get a hotel room."  
  
    "That'd be suspicious too, though," Nick wrinkled his muzzle, dressing down to his own sleep clothes. "Hm, guess I should wear the t-shirt in case anyone bursts in..."  
  
    "Mom knows, Nick," Judy looked away as she finished dressing, sitting on the end of her bed. "She knows we're doing things."  
  
    "That cake wasn't poisoned, was it?" Nick joked.  
  
    Judy shook her head. "She's actually okay with it. It's kind of weird. I mean, I know bunny culture is more sexually expressive, but with my head in the clouds when I was a teenager I just kind of ignored a lot of it."  
  
    Nick grumbled. "Stu knows, too."  
  
    "Is he okay with it?" Judy's eyes narrowed.  
  
    "Surprisingly," Nick huffed. "Though I was apparently carrying explosives when he asked."  
  
    "Explosives!?" Judy's eyes widened, but quickly she shook her head. "Oh, I get it. No, you're good."  
  
    "I'm guessing it will be all over the Hopps' household by noon tomorrow," Nick smirked.  
  
    "You think it'd take that long?" Judy smirked. "But no, mom and dad won't tell. They know not all of my brothers and sisters are fans of you."  
  
    "It's like Jayce said though," Nick sat on his own, separate guest bed. "It's only a few days."  
  
    "More than the ones that dislike you," Judy nibbled on one of her fingers. "I don't like my sisters that are giving you eyes. I mean, I think I might be especially attracted to you because of all the stuff we've been through, but..." Judy smiled. "I have to admit, there's a certain something about you that's so irresistible, probably to anyone. I think even a couple of my brothers were looking at you like that."  
  
    Nick tested the bounciness of his bed. It was large enough for him; too large, actually, it was clearly meant for very unusual Hopps guests and went mostly unused. He smirked at Judy.  
  
    "As flattering as that all is, there's only one bunny for me," Nick smiled. Judy grinned and joined him in his bed. The two started kissing; wrapping their paws around each other tightly. The kissing quickly got more and more heated, until Nick broke away with effort. "Mnh, I thought we weren't going to start anything."  
  
    "Just give me this," Judy whispered. "We can wash it away in the morning." She started to brush her chin on his barely exposed shoulders, neck, and even the top of his head and ears.  
  
    "Mm... you always smell so nice," Nick sniffed, his tail swishing behind him as Judy almost jealously marked him with her aroma. Nick started to respond in kind, brushing around Judy's face and the backs of her ears with his cheek. She could detect more and more of his foxy scent.  
  
    "Ooh, Nick," Judy gasped. "Yes, give me your musk... tell them I'm yours..." Nick growled, feeling aroused from their scent trading. Judy gasped when she felt a hand squeeze her bottom, but she didn't protest, and instead gave a long groan of approval, hugging closer. Her ears twitched as she detected the subtle changes in Nick's breathing that indicated his excitement; that she was getting to him. This only served to continue fueling Judy's growing desire.  
  
    "Nhh... Judy, that drive of yours," Nick grumbled. "So strong..."  
  
    "Vroom, vroom..." Judy said as sensually as she could. "Think I could take the red convertible out tonight...?" A hand went down to tease at the band of his shorts.  
  
    "If we're just going to wash off in the morning anyway-" Nick started, but then both froze as they heard the door squeak open. Nick's sensitivity to the light in the hallway made him squint, and he couldn't make out anything but the shadow of several pairs of bunny ears and faces peeking in from the doorway.  
  
    "Don't say anything..." Judy hissed in a tiny whisper. "They can hear your fear!"  
  
    "What's Nick doing in Judy's bed?" one kit asked.  
    "Is he cold?"  
    "It's the middle of summer!"  
    "Maybe foxes get colder than bunnies."  
    "What's that smell?"  
    "Wasn't me."  
    "I think that's fox smell."  
    "Do you think Judy had a bad dream?"  
  
    "You all are going to have bad dreams about a fox growling at you if you don't go back to bed!" Judy warned. The kits yelped and left. Judy got up to close the door. She considered locking it, but sighed and decided against it, slinking down into her own bed with disappointment.  
  
    "Guess we should keep this facade up as long as possible," Nick smirked. "Though we already kind of smell in the mood."  
  
    "We can just play that off as natural nocturnal stuff," Judy waved her hand, but looked slightly miffed as she let her head dramatically hit the pillow. "But I wanted to ride the red convertible..."  
  
    "Soon enough, my sweet n' sexy bunny," Nick smirked. She turned her head to face him and gave a lazy, happy smile. She yawned, making Nick follow suit.  
  
    "G'night, yummy fox," Judy said, snuggling under her covers.  
  
    "G'night, tasty bunny," Nick returned, doing the same.


	11. Chapter 11

    "Okay, okay, okay," Judy said rapidly, punching a fist into her other hand. She and Nick were showered, dried, and de-scented. "Remember to wear the loud shirt today."  
  
    "Yes, ma'am," Nick saluted, getting himself dressed. "Gotta say, I think I'm finally starting to get excited for this whole Serendipiday thing."  
  
    "Well, don't get too excited," Judy said, checking her cheek fur in a mirror. "Most of the fun happens in the evening."  
  
    Nick slowly nodded and sighed wistfully. "As is the case with  _so many_ things..."  
  
    Judy smirked and whipped her pants at Nick before putting them on. "Disregarding that. Anyway, until sundown, we'll just kinda hang around. Mom'll be making some little grab-and-go kind of snacks. You gotta try her roasted zucchini with garlic. Mm!"  
  
    "Sounds good," Nick hugged Judy from behind briefly. "She made any baby carrots?"  
  
    Judy tried not to smile fondly and failed, petting the arms around her and snuggling back as she acquiesced to his gesture. "She's got lots of baby carrots."  
  
    "Pretty sure this one's my favorite," Nick kissed the top of her head. Judy let herself be consumed by a small moment of bliss before snapping back to reality. "Okay, okay." She slipped out of Nick's arms. "Plenty of time for romantic stuff later. Let's go!"  
  
    Judy opened the door to the guest bedroom, and her eyes widened instantly, followed by Nick's as he too saw what was going on. Nearly a dozen late-teenage and adult bunnies crowded around the door, silent, but held back from advancing by an irritated-looking Violet. All of them wore bright, bold colors, and Nick actually had to blink a few times at the sheer variety.  
  
    "Vi? What's... going on...?" Judy asked cautiously.  
  
    "Ah, Judy!" Violet shot her an uncharacteristically nervous smile. "Nothing's- nothing's going on, really." A moment later, the bunnies all powered past Violet and towards Nick and Judy. "You bunnies stay put this instant!" They ignored her.  
  
    "I didn't know the clusterfluffle came in large," Nick quipped before the bunnies were upon them.  
  
    "You really having sex with a fox, Jude?"  
    "Wow, does he even fit?"  
    "What's it _like_? Goodness, his teeth are so sharp! Can he use his tongue?"  
  
    A unique look of embarrassment and fury formed on Judy's face, while Nick looked more and more uncomfortable; wincing and rubbing his arm.  
  
    "Wow, Nick, with Judy though?" one of Judy's brothers named Gabe yanked him aside and talked to him in a confidential, buddy-buddy sort of way. "You know, there's a rabbit saying that goes: 'Don't stick your nose in crazy, especially if she makes it twitch first.' I mean, I dunno if fox noses twitch like bunnies' do, but... lemme tell you, bud, I've been there. Had a girlfriend that I thought was a bit off? She ended up tying me to a _ceiling fan_."  
  
    Nick held his index finger up and curled it. "You know, I might have a few questions about that." He was abruptly spun around by quite a fluffy cream-and-white bunny.  
  
    "You sure Judy's  _enough_ bunny for you, muffin?" it was one of Judy's older sisters, Jill. She had quite a dewlap on her, which she wasn't ashamed to tease with her provocative clothing. "That  _lithe_ little thing?"  
  
    "Uh, yes, ma'am, plenty," Nick muttered in distaste, trying to move away from her.  
  
    "Jill, cool it, or I'll put you on the list!" Violet's voice called out over the throng.  
  
    "Yo Judy," a gray-and-white late-teen bunny named Matt tried to get her attention. "He's a pred... so does he bite you, when you're, y'know?"  
  
    "None of your business, Matt!" Judy snapped, giving him a firm shove away. Her face twisted into even more anger as she saw her sister Ivory Hopps, the only albino of her siblings.  
  
    "You little deviant," Ivory said distastefully, her arms folded tightly. "You have to be so different that you'd try to bring a  _fox_ into this family?" She spat the word as if it was an epithet.  
  
    "If I wanted the opinion of a  _failed_ model, I'd ask for it!" Judy shouted, looking her from toe to ear. Appalled, Ivory's jaw dropped.  
  
    "Okay Ivory, I've warned you, you're definitely going on the list," Violet warned, though she was talked over by several of the other bunnies asking innumerable personal questions. Judy thumped one foot down on the floor so loudly that it make Nick flinch. Her fists balled in frustration and fury.  
  
_"QUIET!"_  
  
    The bunnies were silent. Judy turned her gaze to Violet.  
  
    "How did this get out?"  
  
    "I'm not sure, Judy," Violet admitted. "It just spread pretty fast, and I've been trying to do damage control." Judy narrowed her eyes. "Oh, b-but I did want to tell you some things I'd found out about bunny-fox relations." Nick sucked in a breath through his teeth and tried to hide his eyes.  
  
    "Violet...!" Judy responded in shock.  
  
    "I mean, you obviously don't have to worry about the whole 'unexpected offspring' thing," Violet said, looking at her phone. "And I've done some rough calculations using averages and known quantities so the  _size_ shouldn't be too much of a problem." Violet made a fussy face. "You two have been to the doctor recently, right? There was a rare strain of illness that-"  
  
    "Violet!" Judy shouted, causing the bunny in question to cringe. "Can you just  _not help_ yourself!? Nick and I have been to the doctor, yes! We're fine! Not that  _any of this_ is  _any_ of your business!" Judy looked around, pointing to her siblings in turn. "Or yours, or yours, or _yours_ , and  _especially_ not _yours_!" Judy pointed extra maliciously at Ivory.  
  
    "Judy, I'm sorry," Violet said sincerely. "You know how I worry about you. I just want you and Nick to be safe-"  
  
    "I appreciate your concern," Judy said lowly, though her voice wasn't convincing, "but Nick and I are leaving." She grabbed Nick's wrist and started to lead him through the still-stunned group of bunnies.  
  
    "Where are we going?" Nick managed meekly.  
  
    " _Away_ ," Judy clarified. The two headed out of the complex and Judy dropped Nicks hands, making scoffing, frustrated noises. She jerked her head to the side, spitting her unusual "curses". She devolved into wordlessly fuming, pacing, with her hands held up to her head; running them through her ears. Nick stared at her with concern; he gave her a minute to get it all out.  
  
    "We're not leaving, are we?" Nick asked conversationally.  
  
    "No, we're not leaving," Judy muttered. "I'm not going to let my idiot brothers and sisters ruin this day I want to share with you."  
  
    "You sure?" Nick said. "Looks like it's getting to you."  
  
    "Oh, I'm sorry Nick," Judy snapped, looking up at him with her hands on her hips. "Does our private life aired in front of a bunch of my siblings, some of which  _hate_ you, not bother  _you_ as much as it does _me_? It's not like I  _grew up_ with them or anything. Not like I was  _made fun of_ for being such a chaste little teenager."  
  
    Nick didn't say anything, but he opened his mouth slightly, then closed it, making the barest of nods. He put his hands in his pockets and sighed gently.  
  
    "Rgh," Judy rubbed her forehead. "Sorry, Nick."  
  
    Nick shook his head. "S'all right. I just don't get why it matters so much to you."  
  
    Judy's jaw dropped slightly. "What?"  
  
    Nick tried a tiny smirk. "I mean, you're a bunny cop. It's not like their opinion of what you should do with your life has mattered to you before, right?"  
  
    "Right, but," Judy sneered a bit, closing her eyes and shaking her head. Her voice became quiet. "It doesn't mean that it makes it much easier to endure the teasing. I'm a police officer. I love a fox. These are two bits that define me. It'd be _nicer_... if my siblings would just let me alone about them." She sighed shakily.  
  
    "Want a hug?" Nick offered his arms.  
  
    Judy scoffed, growing a slow smile. "As if your hugs fix everything."  
  
    "Try me," Nick beckoned with his fingers; hands still outstretched. Judy rushed in for a firm hug. Nick chuckled, only letting her go when her vigor for the hug started to drain. "Any better?"  
  
    Judy tried to twist the smile off of her face. She looked at him with warm appreciation in her eyes. "A little."  
  
    "Who do you think blabbed?" Nick put his hands back in his pockets. "Bonnie or Stu?"  
  
    "Oh no," Judy shook her head twice firmly. "No way. They might be silly, but they're supportive. They know how much damage a rumor can do."  
  
    "Mm," Nick shrugged. "Good to know."  
  
    Judy smirked. "I know exactly who gave us up."  
  


* * *

  
    Nick and Judy's paws touched down with purpose on the wood of the dock leading out to the lake that was on the Hopps property. In Nick's hands were Jenny's wrists, and in Judy's, her ankles.  
  
    "H-heh, hey guys! Can we talk about this?" Jenny flashed a grin. "Preferably  _before_ we get my new neon green shirt for the festival all wet?"  
  
    "You should have thought about that before you told someone that Nick and I were... involved," Judy said in an even voice.  
  
    "It's technically not my fault!" Jenny said brightly. "I just answered a question a  _little_ too honestly, that's all!"  
  
    "Well, Karma's a female dog," Nick smirked, "so you better get ready to be dunked."  
  
    "Try breathing out when you hit the water," Judy quipped. "It'll lessen the shock."  
  
    "H-hey, c'mon," Jenny giggled nervously as they began to sway her back and forth. "The terms were that it couldn't get to mom and dad! And you guys took care of that, so..."  
  
    "All I said was that if Jayce didn't throw you into the lake, I would," Judy said. "Time to make good on that."  
  
    "Ready?" Nick smirked. "One, two..."  
  
     _"THREE!"_ both shouted, tossing the teenage bunny.  
  
    "I regret nothing!" she claimed loudly, flailing through the air and shrieking as she hit the water with a soft splash.  
  
    "Huh, was hoping for a bigger splash," Nick looked out, shielding his eyes from the sun with one hand.  
  
    "Bunnies don't have a lot of surface area," Judy giggled.  
  
    "Feel better?" Nick smiled.  
  
    "Much!" Judy haughtily tilted her head back and forth with her eyes closed. Jenny giggled as she made her way back to shore. The two left the sopping bunny to her own devices and headed back to the compound. Judy's eyes brightened as she saw a couple of her cousins near a hose, filling water balloons and water guns. The two were cream-and-white bunnies, both a bit taller than Judy, and both sporting garish swimwear. The two were twins and looked nearly precisely alike, other than that one was male and one was female.  
  
    "Well if it ain't Jude the Dude an' her fox Nick the Slick!" the female said with a heavy, though friendly drawl. She put her hands on her hips. Nick smiled at the two.  
  
    "Hey!" Judy waved. "Nick, these two are the ones I was telling you about that one time. They're Bunnyburrow sheriffs!"  
  
    "Huh!" Nick grinned. "Guess you can't get away from Hopps law enforcement even in the country."  
  
    "That's the idea," the male said, tying off a water balloon. "Judy inspired us."  
  
    "You're..." Nick looked like he was thinking. "What was it. Was it Peaches and Cream?"  
  
    "Sure 'nuff!" Judy's cousin laughed, folding her arms. "Well, really, it's just Peter and Carol. Those're our personas."  
  
    "I thought I remembered Judy saying you two are totally no-nonsense," Nick said.  
  
    "Yup," Peter replied with a smirk. "On the job, anyway. Off, anythin's fair game."  
  
    "I was going to ask you how you two did that," Judy nibbled on her lip thoughtfully. "No one's figured out that you two are basically just a couple of big goofs, have they- hgh!" Judy flinched as Carol sprayed her cheek with a water gun.  
  
    "Watch yer mouth, Missy," Carol smirked, twirling the water pistol. Judy laughed this off, rubbing her cheek dry. "It's just a big play, really. Like bein' an actor."  
  
    "At least in your case hormones and scents aren't involved," Nick muttered.  
  
    "Maybe so," Peter offered. "But far's I remember, Judy's a pretty good actress."  
  
    "Oh yeah, she's not bad," Nick grinned widely at her, licking his own nose.  
  
    "Don't you start," Judy scolded. "So, this is a lot of watery weaponry! Is it for the kits?"  
  
    "Shoot no!" Carol said, arming herself with two water pistols, a sash with a couple of water balloons, and a larger water gun on her back. "We're gonna go teach those kits a lesson in true water warfare."  
  
    "We sure are," Peter quipped, equipping a large backpack-fed water gun. "Have fun at the festival you two."  
  
    "Yer lucky it's his first time," Carol smirked. "Else you two'd already be drenched!" The two headed off into the vast front yard where several kits were already playing with water balloons and guns.  
  
    "This is making me wish we'd joined in the kit's festivities," Nick rocked back and forth on his feet. "They look like they're in for a blast."  
  
    "Oh, trust me," Judy shook her head. "I think you'll like what's in store this evening way more."  
  


* * *

  
    Judy parked one of her father's trucks near the bustling Serendipiday festival about a half-hour's drive from the Hopps' compound. Nick looked out at the festival and cringed with a groan.  
  
    "Aw, Judy, c'mon..." Nick held his paws out accusingly at the stalls and stations. "This looks exactly like the Carrot Days festival."  
  
    "Just hold on, mister," Judy grined, holding Nick back when he attempted to get out of the truck. The sun was quickly fading into the horizon, and when it reached a certain point, lots of tiny lights of every color adorning the stalls turned on abruptly. " _There_ we go."  
  
    "Mm, not bad," Nick said, getting out of the truck. "But Serendipity's going to have to do more than that to surprise me- _EEE_!"  
  
     _BOOM! BANG! crackle-ckle..._  
  
    A brief display of colorful fireworks exploded in the sky, making Nick flinch and his tail frizz up. Judy laughed.  
  
    "Surprised yet?"  
  
    "I think I owed Karma that one," Nick tugged at his collar, regaining his composure. He slapped and rubbed his hands together. "So, what do we do?"  
  
    Judy waved him over to a kiosk where she paid for a couple of tickets. "Two stacks of coins, please."  
  
    "Gotcha," the pig vendor said, handing her two small stacks of seven gold-colored coins. Judy brightly handed one stack to Nick.  
  
    "Huh, neat," Nick examined one of the coins. The coin had a vertical slit in the middle and was adorned with the print "SERENDIPIDAY" and the current year. Turning it to the other side, there was an embossed picture of a quadruped rabbit leaping around the opening. "Is this real gold?"  
  
    "Nah, just a shiny alloy," Judy explained. "But they're worth a lot to collectors anyway; especially the rarer ones from when the celebration was younger."  
  
    "Guessing we use these to play the games?" Nick looked around, seeing a lot of standard carnival-type games.  
  
    "Uh huh!" Judy nodded. "Figured seven coins would do us for now. We should play some of the more fun ones." Nick began to notice lots of gaudy, gold and silver decorations at the stalls. Most of them involved a friendly-looking cartoonish quadruped bunny who was in various poses.  
  
    "Is that Serendipity?" Nick wondered.  
  
    "Goddess of surprises, fortune, luck," Judy rattled off. "Supposedly very capricious."  
  
    "Seems she throws a decent party," Nick looked around at all of the color and flashing lights. Some of the stalls had plush bunny prizes, with fur and eyes in every color of the rainbow. "Hm, no one can decide on what color she is, huh?"  
  
    "I don't think so," Judy laughed. "Seems like they just rolled with that. She can be whatever color she wants, cause she's a Celestial."  
  
    "Makes about as much sense as anything," Nick chuckled, jingling his coins in his pocket.  
  
    "Judy!" A familiarly country voice called out. Judy gasped and turned her head, rushing to the stall from which the voice came. It was Gideon Grey's Real Good Baked Stuff. The lights adorning his stall were in the color of berries: red, blue, and purple mostly.  
  
    "Gideon Grey!" Judy waved. "Look who I dragged out here this year." Judy hugged around Nick's arm and moved him closer.  
  
    "Are you Nicholas Wilde?" Gideon grinned. "Pleasure to finally meet ya."  
  
    "Likewise, I think," Nick narrowed his eyes. "Judy, this is the fox that-"  
  
    "We don't bring that up anymore," Judy said hurriedly.  
  
    "It is a bit surprisin' to see she's got another fox so close," Gideon smirked, setting out some small tarts. "I ain't complainin' though, that's just the typeuh person Judy is. Always surprisin' folks."  
  
    Nick nodded. "So what's your game here?"  
  
    "No game, just offerin' some samples," Gideon chuckled. "Yawl wanna try one of these tarts?" He offered them both a couple, which they tasted and ate.  
  
    "Mm!" Judy remarked.  
  
    "Huh, this is good...!" Nick said while chewing. "What's in it?"  
  
    "Heck if I know," Gideon laughed. "It's a mixed-berry tart. I don't even know what's in it exactly. Wish I did, though, they came out pretty good this year!"  
  
    "A happy accident, Nick!" Judy proclaimed proudly. "It's all a part of the spirit of Serendipiday!"  
  
    "Shore is!" Gideon nodded. "Good to see ya two. Stop by again if ya want a couple more for the road."  
  
    "Thanks, Gideon," Nick waved, and the two were off. They walked by what looked like a typical "test your strength" game. Tending it was a giraffe as tall as the game's structure.  
  
    "Hey there everyone, this is Sam!" the gregarious giraffe declared. He looked down and saw Nick and Judy. "Aw mango, lookit you two little guys! Ya wanna test your strength-slash-luck on my game here!?"  
  
    "Sure!" Judy said, offering one of her coins.  
  
    "Okay!" the giraffe stomped on a button near the gauge and a cursor on an electric display running up the side made a show of flashing randomly and stopping near the top. "Ya gotta hit  _right there_ to winna prize, n'kay? Here's the mallet." He handed off a mallet to Judy, who stepped up to the game. Sam winked at Judy. "Don't hit it too hard, now...!"  
  
    Judy smirked wryly and smashed the mallet into the device with all her might. The strength readout went a few ticks beyond the indicated height.  
  
    "Woah-ho-ha-ha-ha!" Sam clearly found this amusing. His voice became slightly dry. "Well, ya... ya hit it too hard there, lil' bunny girl."  
  
    "Guess I did!" Judy said flippantly. "You wanna try, Nick?"  
  
    "Yup, let's play it again, Sam," Nick flipped a coin over to the giraffe, who barely caught it.  
  
    "Wow, I have  _never heard_ that one before!" Sam said, managing to keep his tone jovial through his sarcasm. "Maybe try a bit more finesse than your little bunnyfriend there." Nick looked up at the gauge thoughtfully, tried to consider how much force he thought Judy's wild swing had behind it, and followed up with a swing of his own. He came up quite short.  
  
    "Pff-ha-ha-ha!" Sam laughed. "Sorry it's just... I guess that had a bit too much finesse on it!"  
  
    "Yeah, yeah," Nick held out the mallet. "She has a mean arm for a bunny." Nick walked away from the game with Judy, his hands behind his head. "Ah well, looked like he had shoddily made plushies on offer anyway."  
  
    Judy shoved him in the ribs. "Aw, c'mon. Don't go all fox and the grapes on me."  
  
    "You've heard of that parable?" Nick seemed surprised. "A foxist like you?"  
  
    "I've done some growing, Nick," Judy said accusingly. "Ooh! Let's see what the current mystery drink is!" She pointed frantically and headed off to a complicated-looking machine.  
  
    "That doesn't sound good," Nick said, following her.  
  
    "Eh, it's all fruit drinks, don't worry," Judy said. "Every seven minutes, this machine picks a drink completely at random. All artificial color is removed so you don't know what it is till you taste it!" Judy took one of the tiny cups and poured one. "For you!"  
  
    "Ah, doesn't cost a coin, then?" Nick smirked, taking the sample cup.  
  
    "If it cost a coin, I'd expect to be entered into a drawing to  _win_ this dang machine," Judy said. Nick downed the clear liquid in his cup and his eyes went wide.  
  
    "Oh my God, Judy," Nick said, looking excited. "It's _blueberry_!"  
  
    "Really!? Maybe your luck's turning around, Nick!" Judy's eyes sparkled as she took a sip from her own cup. "Hey, this is grape!"  
  
    "Yup," Nick chuckled. "Not too much of a fan of grape, actually. Fox and the grapes, you know how it is."  
  
    "Pff," Judy rolled her eyes and tossed her paper cup at Nick's muzzle, where it bounced off and onto the ground.  
  
    "Hey, don't _litter_ ," Nick sucked his teeth.  
  
    "I wasn't gonna!" Judy crouched to pick it up, throwing it away.  
  
    "Karma'd get you for that," Nick said lightly.  
  
    "So is Karma a fox deity?" Judy tilted her head.  
  
    "More like just a canid in general," Nick shrugged. "I don't think she has a big to-do like this though. Can't say I'm a very religious fox."  
  
    "Good, cause in most religions, gambling is a sin," Judy smirked, holding out one of her coins.  
  
    "I can think of a few sins I'd like to commit with you," Nick grinned.  
  
    "I'm sure you can, but let's go play another game in the meantime!" Judy beckoned. Nick followed her to another stall, wide and rectangular, that appeared to be lifted from a casino. It had a bright gold statue of Serendipity near its ceiling with some dice on it. Fancy, playful lettering said "Lucky 76".  
  
    "Lucky Seventy-Six?" Nick wondered.  
  
    "Next game looks like it only needs a few more people to join," Judy said. "You in? C'mon!" Nick offered up a coin and was traded seven dice. "Lucky seven... D6! You roll the dice and try to get the target number without going over." Judy indicated the target display.  
  
    "What's the winner get?" Nick wondered.  
  
    "Dice," Judy giggled.  
  
    "Huh?" Nick looked at the dice in his hand. "Then what's preventing me from just... taking the dice?"  
  
    "Not  _those_ dice," Judy said, pointing to near the statue. " _Those_ dice!" In a sort of "prize box" were sets of fancy looking dice, including black dice with what seemed like gems for the pips, and currently on offer was a set of gem-tone dice in various rainbow colors.  
  
    "Oh,  _those_ dice," Nick said. "I... like those dice." Nick grinned, licking his lips.  
  
    "So lets go for it!" Judy said, shaking her dice. "The sound of rollin' dice to me is music in the air!" When Judy's turn came, she threw her dice. Her number went quite a bit over the target.  
  
    "I'm sensing a theme here," Nick smirked.  
  
    "Oh _come on_ ," Judy said in exasperation. "It's not like I  _threw the dice_ into having a higher number."  
  
    "Although, you kinda did," Nick teased, throwing his own. He got very close to the goal number.  
  
    "Ooh, Nick!" Judy lit up.  
  
    "Don't let him intimidate you, Julie," a white mouse said to her adult daughter. The two stood on the edge of the table, the thinner of the two mice holding a die. "Roll those dice!"  
  
    "All right!" the other little mouse said, tossing one die at a time. She ended up with the exact same number as Nick.  
  
    "Whoa, we got a tie here!" the host, a black rabbit with white masking said, beating on a small gong with a stick. "Okay you two, tiebreaker toss. The mouse goes first."  
  
    Julie threw each die again, ending up with quite a low number.  
  
    "Twelve, ugh..." Julie frowned. "That's no good..."  
  
    "Just the way the dice roll, kid," the host shrugged. Nick rolled his own dice and got ten.  
  
    "Seriously?" Nick said dryly.  
  
    The host sucked at his teeth. "Wow, Serendipity doesn't like you, my vulpine friend. The winnah!" He hit his gong again, pointing with the stick dramatically at Julie.  
  
    "The nice mice rolled twice, and their number did suffice!" Nick said, tilting his head back and forth. Nearly ever mammal who heard him stared at him, including Judy and the mice. Nick flinched in embarrassment, flashing his teeth. "I am so sorry. Couldn't resist."  
  
    Julie laughed, and then gasped as she was awarded her prize. "Sweet dice, mom!" Her mother nodded, giggling.  
  
    "Oh well," Judy shrugged. "We still each have five coins to win something."  
  
    And they did for a time, but they got down to Nick's last coin without winning anything. Nick stared at the coin, holding it in two fingers and considering it.  
  
    "Do you just want to keep it?" Judy smiled, hugging onto his free arm. "As a commemorative sort of thing?"  
  
    "Hm," Nick considered. "Judy, you know how much importance I place on objects." Nick's hand went into his pocket and pulled out the neckerchief Judy gave him. "But... no, I don't want to keep this coin." He flipped it and caught it in his hand and held it out dramatically. "I want to  _win_ something with this coin, because life's all about taking chances!" Judy's eyes sparkled a bit. "I took a chance on you under that bridge, and look where we are now. Hit me, Serendipity!" Judy laughed in delight as Nick energetically rushed for another game.  
  
    A few minutes later, Nick and Judy both walked out of the festival area; each munching on a tart.  
  
    "You know, I kind of saw that going differently in my head," Nick explained.  
  
    Judy chuckled. "Serendipity hit you all right. With her _feet_."  
  
    "I'm guessing Serendipity and Karma don't get along very well," Nick laughed. "Fox and bunny Celestials and all."  
  
    "Oh, what do they know?" Judy said, starting to get into the truck with Nick. "Sorry you didn't even win one of the tiniest plushies."  
  
    "I probably would have given it to one of your siblings anyway," Nick said. He paused for a second. "I think Serendipity and I are even, anyway."  
  
    "What are you talking about?" Judy said, hesitating before starting the truck.  
  
    "Well, by sheer chance," Nick said, looking at her. "I met you, didn't I? You're such a joy in my life, Judy, and you pulled me out of a dark place. I basically don't have to win another thing in my life, if I've got you."  
  
    Judy's ears and cheeks both felt warm, looking at him with wonder. "J-jeez Nick, what am I supposed to say to that?"  
  
    Nick shrugged. "I dunno. A kiss will do."  
  
    Judy leaned in and kissed him softly and romantically. She broke it, smiling at him and starting the truck.  
  
    "I had a nice time, anyway," Nick said. "Definitely should have trusted you on that one."  
  
    "Ah, it's not  _quite_ over yet," Judy said playfully, pulling off onto the country road.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 10/20/2016 - Due to feedback, I decided to try to enhance the language and feel of the piece a bit more. If you read it on Wednesday or Thursday and felt at all dissatisfied, please give it another read. Special thanks to my proofreader Roahm, and also Erinnyes, Pinormous, hannahberrie, and Stormking for their feedback.

    Judy put the truck in park near a hill overlooking the Hopps' Compound. Judy leaped out of the truck in an energetic, spry way, grabbed Nick's wrist, and led him up the hill. The two stared out over the fields and buildings before them. Nick looked out over the property and saw a bunch of sparks randomly flare up, then go rushing swiftly and almost uniformly across the lawn.  
  
    "What's that...?" Nick squinted, trying to make out what was happening.  
  
    "Ah, looks neat, huh?" Judy peered out and watched the moving sheet of sparks. "A fluffle carrying sparklers, all running around. You can kinda see that there's one in the front, leading them."  
  
    "Mm," Nick nodded. "That  _is_ neat. Was that what I was helping carry?"  
  
    "Probably part of it," Judy looked at her phone briefly. "The rest should be starting any time now."  
  
    With a shrill screech and a pop, Nick saw a firework burst behind the Hopps' Compound. Briefly, the area was illuminated in cyan light, dying down as the stars from the firework settled down with a rustle.  
  
    "Just one?" Nick smirked. As he protested, another one went off, this time orange.  
  
    "Dad likes to make them last, shoot them off slowly," Judy explained, grinning. "He buys enough to last an hour or so."  
  
    Nick held and squeezed Judy's hand as they stood atop the hill, watching the occasional fireworks. He surveyed the area, looking at the fluffle and their sparklers, hearing the occasional boom of the fireworks, feeling the crisp, cool, air, and smelling Judy's slightly excited scent. His tail gave a furtive swipe across her ankles. Judy hummed and turned to kiss him directly. Nick joined in the kiss, flinching only a little when a firework went off in the middle of it.  
  
    "Tense?" Judy teased as they broke from the kiss.  
  
    "Don't know what you're talking about," Nick grinned. Looking around, he spotted a wooded area quite close to the foot of the hill. He grinned and chuckled lightly.  
  
    "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Judy smirked.  
  
    " _God_ , I hope so," Nick said, the two briefly glancing at each other. Then, both giggling, the two rushed down the hill, the incline speeding them up and fueling their haste to enter the woods. Judy pulled out ahead, but Nick wasn't too far behind. When they slowed down, both breathing heavily, Judy pulled Nick into a heated kiss. Nick drew Judy closer, licking within her mouth, to her groan of approval, but then he pulled away. "Wait..."  
  
    "W-wait what?" Judy frowned. Nick grinned.  
  
    "Gotta check the perimeter for any intruders," Nick said. "Stake the territory. Wind's good, shouldn't take me more than a few minutes."  
  
    "Oh, okay," Judy nodded. "Hurry back!" Nick left, sniffing along their little patch of woods as he paced around it. Judy lost sight of him eventually and slowly wandered to a tree, her mind filled with thoughts of what would happen next. She couldn't see very well; the woods were only brightened very briefly by the occasional fireworks. Judy felt a small pinch of fear along with her excitement. A few minutes passed, and Judy ran her front teeth along her lip, feeling both anxious and excited.  
  
    A rustle in the brush, and Judy turned to look at the source.  
  
    "Nick?" Judy asked. "Is that- _guh_!?" Judy sputtered as she heard a soft whump and darkness enveloped her along with the feeling of cloth on her body.  
  
    "Now I've got you," Nick said, grabbing the bunny, who had a blanket over her.  
  
    "Nick, what are you doing?" Judy laughed as Nick rolled the blanket around Judy.  
  
    "Just wrapping up my little snack," Nick said. "Looks like someone left a blanket in the back seat of the truck. Was that you, or was Serendipity smiling on me for a change?" Nick set the blanket on the ground and rolled it open, where Judy came to a stop with a soft "whoa!" and giggled.  
  
    Judy looked up at Nick, barely seeing him in the dim, wooded ambience, but she definitely smelled him. His strong, musky odor; more powerful with his arousal. Nick on the other hand saw Judy clearly, a thrilled bunny; her nose slightly twitching, paws folded over at the wrist, scent powerfully provocative. Another firework went off, and Judy saw Nick's desiring leer. He licked his lips.  
  
    With haste, Judy started to shuffle out of her pants, and Nick did likewise. Their intimate scents even stronger now, Judy groaned impatiently and quickly moved one of her feet up to Nick's sheathe, softly rubbing it with her toes.  
  
    "C'mon out, time to play..." Judy quipped. The hiding foxhood swiftly peeked out at her request. Nick groaned, distracted from removing his shirt, and Judy similarly still had hers on. Nick moved to cover her as she laid back on the blanket, kissing her feverishly. "Nick..." Judy was enchanted by his passionate kisses and nearly frenzied rubs of her thighs and legs as fireworks occasionally revealed the sniffing, enticed fox. Her hands blindly reached out to pet and stroke his muzzle, his face, whatever she could reach. Nick almost growled at the intensity of her petting, it sending more surges into his member.  
  
    "I'm thinking of visiting the bunny burrow," Nick whispered into her ear. "But I've heard it's flooded this time of year..."  
  
    "Don't let that stop you," Judy murmured. "It's nice and cozy." Nick rubbed his shaft against Judy's thigh, causing her to gasp in anticipation.  
  
    Nick pressed the tip of his member against Judy's slick entrance. He teased the tip up and down the lips, making Judy's hips twitch instinctively.  
  
    "Just, go slow..." Judy said breathlessly. "At first, at least..."  
  
    "Yeah," Nick agreed. He started to push in, just a little. Judy groaned. "Already too much?"  
  
    "No... keep going..." Judy begged. Nick hesitated. He saw Judy already nearly panting, her chest rising and falling rapidly with her excitement. His prey. _His_ prey, his mind insisted. Nick shook his head subtly as his need for her felt like it was flowing through every muscle in his body.  
  
    "After this, everyone's going to know you're mine," Nick said. A small hint of his "predator" persona was laced into his voice. Judy sensed through her hazing mind that he wasn't playing around, though. He wanted to confirm this fact. Judy almost trembled at the next firework, seeing his hunched up shoulders and careful positioning.  
  
    "Yes..." Judy agreed. "Isn't it about time you claimed me, Nick...?"  
  
    Nick leaned over, slowly licking one of her ears, making her shiver. "There will be no doubt of what we've done, Judy."  
  
    "None," Judy nodded. "Give yourself to me, Nick..." The eager bunny had to keep herself from jerking her own hips upward to meet him. She wanted to feel the confidence in his movement into her.  
  
    Nick couldn't hold himself back. More of his red length slipped into her, making her gasp again.  
  
    "More...!" Judy demanded. Amazed, Nick let yet more of himself into her, stopping with his knot rubbing against the outside of her entrance. She moaned as the pleasing feeling.  
  
    "Where are you putting all this?" Nick blinked at the feeling of her snug warmth around him.  
  
    "Mmn..." Judy murmured, squirming a little to make herself comfortable against the blanket. "Don't you mean: 'how far does the rabbit hole go'?"  
  
    "I was not going to say that," Nick grumbled.  
  
    "You gonna tie me?" Judy asked coquettishly.  
  
    "As much as I'd like to..." Nick grumbled, slowly starting to move his hips. "I think that's a bit much for our first time. There's also the whole being stuck to each other for an hour to consider."  
  
    "Ah..." Judy mumbled, her hips twitching of their own accord against Nick's small, guarded thrusts. "Mnh... faster, Nick."  
  
    "Already...?" Nick blinked. "I don't want to hurt you-"  
  
    "Nngh..." Judy moaned, moving against him eagerly. "There's a reason bunnies are known for being lusty... so mate with me like you mean it, fox..."  
  
    "Rgh, Judy..." Nick's arms trembled as he attempted to control the varying speed of his thrusts. Judy flinched in excitement as one drop of drool from his panting landed directly on her neck. "I've wanted to mate with you for so long now..." Every instinct in Nick burned to completely unshackle himself and show her the full strength of his lithe body, toned from his training. Judy's attention to the fox's breaths was heightened to a laser focus as she sensed his conflict with the erratic speeds and depths of his motions. Nick's breaths came in haggard heaves, with bits of his voice barely audible on the exhale. The bunny's mind blazed with the idea that this predator, _her_ predator, was fighting a forbidden, primal force for control of what sort of lovemaking would claim her. Vigor flooded her as this thought consumed her, and her bucking against the fox became increasingly wild. He groaned, struggling not to completely lose himself to his lust for her.  
  
    "Yes, Nick!" Judy breathed out. "Give it to me...!" Nick continued, with Judy wailing in pleasure as his knot rubbed against her outside and nub with each full thrust. Her excitement quickly bubbled over and brought her to a swift climax. She gasped out his name once more and arched against his thrusts.  
  
    "Wh- _wow_ that is tight!" Nick winced, barely able to move himself within her during her peak. Nick felt Judy's wet inner warmth squeezing him, and his pleasure was near its peak already.  
  
    Several moaning, trembling breaths later, Judy calmed down a bit, looking up at him amorously. She gently brushed a foot against his sac, wiggling her toe against the sheath. "Well? I'm not going anywhere..." Nick resumed his thrusting, to her sensual groans of enjoyment. "Don't you dare think about pulling out..."  
  
    "I'm almost there..." Nick grunted, his pace picking up to nearly a frenzy as eagerness to fill his bunny took over. Judy mumbled in delight as he tried vigorously to bring her over again, but he couldn't last long enough before his own climax. With a loud growl, he pressed deeply into her as he began to release himself into her, his knot again pushing itself against her entrance. Nick let out satisfied groans and grunts with each pulse of his cream into its new home.  
  
    "Yes...! Fill me up, foxy, make me your bunny..." Judy begged, petting his thighs with her feet before locking her legs behind Nick in case he thought to disobey her plea. Gritting his teeth firmly, it took all of Nick's self-control not to possessively bite her or attempt to shove his knot into her. He dug his hands deeply into the blanket to restrain himself, delivering a few more spurts into his mate before coming to a rest, panting. The two locked eyes for another moment as another firework went off.  
  
    "Quite the fireworks display, huh?" Nick smirked.  
  
    "I'll say," Judy shot back. Nick pulled out of her, causing her to coo in pleasure once more at the exit, shivering. Nick moved to help her up, but Judy abruptly flopped onto the blanket on her side. The fox gasped lightly, but then remembered Judy's action as something she did when very content. Nick tried to emulate the motion, and landed on his shoulder roughly with an "oof".  The two chuckled, merely laying there with their bodies close and staring into each others eyes through a pleasured daze. Judy heard a soft swishing sound, and giggled when a firework's brief glare told her what she might have guessed: Nick's tail was wagging and beating against the blanket. Judy felt for Nicks hands, holding them firmly during another several fireworks, before the two finally decided to get up.  The fox and bunny carefully put their undergarments and pants back on, and Nick rolled up the blanket.  
  
    "Should we burn this?" Nick joked.  
  
    "I'm sure one of the fox haters will," Judy laughed. The two headed back to the truck, and Judy started it up so she could move it back to the sectioned off area for the rest of Stu's fleet. Judy seemed pleased and perky during the drive, though Nick seemed a bit winded.  
  
    "So... that did just happen," Nick confirmed. One giant gold firework went off.  
  
    "Oh, that's the last one," Judy noticed, then smirked at Nick. "And yes, it did just happen. I couldn't be happier."  
  
    "Sounded like you wanted the knot, though," Nick chuckled. "So maybe you could be happier."  
  
    "No, I mean, I did, but we can work toward it..." Judy grinned. "I just mean... I'm so glad you wanted to mate with me on Serendipiday..."  
  
    "Is that a thing?" Nick's eyebrow piqued.  
  
    "Where do you think the phrase 'getting lucky' comes from?" Judy playfully smiled.  
  
    "Ah," Nick chuckled.  
  
    As they entered the main entry hall of the Hopps Compound, the usual chattering halted at the disheveled looking fox and bunny entering. Wordlessly, but with proud smiles, the two held hands and walked toward the guest bedroom. A silence reigned as looks of surprise, horror, revulsion, interest, and even elation were worn on the bunnies still awake at this hour. Judy merely steeled her grin and kept marching. The two almost ran into Violet, who started in alarm.  
  
    "Oh! Nick, Judy!" Violet nearly shouted. She involuntarily sniffed and her eyes went wide. "Oh so, um. Hi. Hello! How... are you two this fine evening? D-doing well?"  
  
    "Doing each other, you mean?" Nick smirked. Judy lightly swatted Nick's chest with the back of her hand. Violet's eyes darted around nervously.  
  
    "Wanted to see you, Violet," Judy said. "Sorry about snapping at you earlier."  
  
    "It's, it's fine! I was a little... nosy," Violet took another involuntary sniff. Her nose started twitching nervously, and her smile also reflected discomfort.  
  
    "Sorry," Judy smirked. "Foxes smell a little strong..." Judy pet down one of Nick's arms.  
  
    "S-so they do! Well, I've got some important... uh, firework-related paperwork to do?" Violet babbled.  
  
    "You don't," Judy accused.  
  
    "I don't, but... bye! Have fun! I mean, if you didn't already!?" Violet quickly made herself scarce. Judy and Nick made it to their room without further incident.  
  
    "That was laying it on a bit thick," Nick noted.  
  
    "Well, so did you," Judy bit her lip. Nick chuckled.  
  
    "Hope she wasn't offended," Nick said. The hall outside and the foyer were filled with sudden, loud gossip from the previously hushed bunnies.  
  
    "No, if anything, I think the scent might have been exciting to her," Judy chuckled. "She always did seem a bit more interested in us when she knew we were a couple. She's always figuring out whats and wherefores..."  
  
    Nick listened to the low din outside.  
  
    "Sounds like we gave them something to talk about," Nick rubbed his hand through his ears, then Judy's. Judy hugged him.  
  
    "Yup, and you know what? Suddenly, I don't really care."


	13. Chapter 13

    Nick awoke to Judy's face staring right back at him with a big smile. Nick slowly returned the smile after a yawn. Of course she wouldn't have stayed in her own bed, not after what had happened last night.  
  
    "Morning," Nick mumbled, his arms hugging around her and drawing her closer.  
  
    "Sore?" Judy smiled, rubbing his muzzle and cheeks.  
  
    "Ha! Not even a little bit," Nick claimed.  
  
    "So..." Judy sighed happily. "I'm a dated and mated bunny now..." Her paws wouldn't stop petting Nick's face.  
  
    "You want to talk about it at all?" Nick moved his muzzle in and nuzzled over Judy's face. Both of them hummed.  
  
    "What's there to say?" Judy giggled at the wiggling fox face. Nick looked away from her briefly, thinking about what to tell her.  
  
    "Last night, I really wanted to bite you," Nick admitted, recalling the urges he barely kept himself from.  
  
    "Bite me?" Judy repeated, her brow lowering slightly.  
  
    "I mean, if you insist," Nick formed a toothy grin, but then his face grew serious again and less playful.  
  
    "Well, what's wrong with that?" Judy shrugged blithely.  
  
    "For one, I didn't want our first real roll in the hay to have you bleeding from your neck," Nick pointed out.  
  
    "Fair," Judy chuckled. "Is there a second point?"  
  
    "It's ah... kind of a canid thing," Nick shrugged. "A mating bite is, well... just another layer of intimacy and possession that can be shared..."  
  
    "Ooh!" Judy seemed to like the idea. "Why didn't you bite me, then?"  
  
    "I dunno, Judy," Nick scratched at Judy's back. "It's just... I have a lot of respect for you. You're a strong, capable bunny."  
  
    "I'm a strong, capable bunny," Judy poked repeatedly at Nick's chest. "Who is owned by a fox."  
  
    "Whoa," Nick shivered. "That went straight to the rocket."  
  
    Judy hummed. "We belong to each other. But you're the only one I'd ever trust enough to give myself up to so completely. I know you can appreciate that... so when you're in control, I want you to just go with what  _feels_ right to you."  
  
    "So you want to take control too?" one side of Nick's lip perked up.  
  
    "And I'm not going to go easy on you, so you better watch out," Judy tapped Nick on the nose, giggling.  
  
    Nick let out a long sigh. "I used to think canid behaviors were so base and silly. But, feeling the... _urges_ I felt last night... it was tempting to just give in."  
  
    "One day you will, and I'll want it..." Judy squeezed his shoulders, then released.  
  
    "Figures Karma'd hook me up with a lover that humbles me in every way possible," Nick smirked.  
  
    "Changing your mind about the Celestials, Nick?" Judy teased, getting out of bed. Nick leered at her backside.  
  
    "I might be, because there's no way that butt is from this world," Nick took more time getting up to take in the sight.  
  
    "Of course not, it's from the _moon_ ," Judy bent over entirely for his enjoyment, wiggling her tail at him.  
  
    "Ooh, the bunny in the moon, a classic tale," Nick bit his lip. "Well, I need a cold shower anyway." He gave a long stretch, to which Judy treated her own eyes.  
  
    "Yup, shower, then we need to get down for Serendipiday After," Judy proclaimed, grabbing them some clothes.  
  
    "There is no such thing," Nick shook his head. " _Now_ you're just making stuff up."  
  
    "Honest!" Judy smiled at him. "Though, the only Serendipiday After traditions are specifically for newcomers, to get them to come back."  
  
    "I don't think that's going to be a problem," Nick chuckled, heading off to the bathroom with Judy.  
  
    After the two showered and dried, they applied scent blocker. Of course, by then likely all the teenage and adult bunnies of the compound knew what they had done, but they figured they should do it just to be polite.  
  
    In the main kitchen area, Nick intently stared at the toaster containing his breakfast. It was one of several such toasters lined up, some currently occupied with other bunnies' breakfasts. The gossip this morning was quieter, but still present. Both Judy and Nick decided to just ignore the gossipers, but offered tiny, sweet, almost teasing smiles when they were looked at.  
  
    "Those Pawp Tarts aren't going to pop out if you keep staring at them," Judy teased, sipping some coffee.  
  
    "That's not really how it works, Judy-" Nick started, turning his head and at that moment, the pastries leaped out of the toaster. Nicks mouth became a frown and his eyes half-lidded. "Of course."  
  
    Judy placed her free paw to her mouth, laughing lightly. Nick offered one of the two Pawp Tarts to Judy, who in turn offered him a sip of her coffee.  
  
    "Blech," Nick smacked his lips at the strong taste. "Good thing my bunny's sweeter than her coffee." Judy gave a small, humming laugh and touched her nose to his briefly. Nick joined in laughing once he heard more gossip stir up at the small, affectionate gesture. There was a terse sound of someone clearing their throat, and Nick and Judy turned their heads to the source.  
  
    "Sorry to interrupt your breakfast," Violet said. "I've got everyone ready for the- Nick doesn't know what's coming, right?"  
  
    "Not a clue," Nick munched his pastry.  
  
    "Great," Violet smiled. "We've got it set up at the main living area. Could you lead him there once you're done eating?"  
  
    "Sure thing!" Judy replied in a cheerful chirp. Violet nodded and walked off, looking through her phone.  
  
    "Though uh, I do know the way to the living area," Nick pointed out, finishing up his breakfast.  
  
    "It's a surprise, dummy," Judy said, reaching into Nick's pockets. This caused a small collection of gasps from onlookers. Judy turned her head to address them. "Oh, grow up." She pulled out the red neckerchief from Nick's pocket and got up on her tip-toes to tie it around Nick's eyes.  
  
    "Sensory deprivation, huh?" Nick remarked. "This is getting interesting already."  
  
    "Don't encourage them," Judy smirked, holding Nick's hand and leading him to the main living area, where there was a massive, curved, two-tiered couch.  
  
    "So long as you're not leading me in front of a fluffle all armed with fox tasers," Nick muttered, picking up the scent of several bunnies.  
  
    "I'm not making any promises," Judy warned playfully, leading him to the couch and turning him around. "Now, sit." Nick carefully obeyed. "Good boy." Nick sucked his teeth in annoyance at the command and praise, but inwardly, he felt a tiny thrill from it. The thrill passed when he heard several bunny giggles. "Shut up, you guys." Nick sniffed several times. He smelled bunnies and what seemed to be some sort of paper or plastic smell. "Hey! Stop trying to cheat! Okay, you all ready?" Judy placed her hand on Nick's improvised blindfold and prepared to remove it. In one swift motion, tugged off the cloth.  
  
_"BOOM!"_  
  
    "Oh God!" Nick recoiled as several bunny faces leaned in, all yelling the same thing at him. Nick put a hand over his chest and tried to catch his breath. The bunnies all laughed merrily at the fox's reaction. There weren't too many of the Hopps actually there, a couple dozen at most, surrounding Nick from all angles. Nick picked out only friendly faces from the bunch, including Bonnie and Stu. Nick then noticed that they all had wrapped presents, the glossy papers were of several bright colors with clashing colors for their ribbons and bows.  
  
    "Happy Serendipiday After, Nick," Judy grinned fondly.  
  
    "Is this gift-giving time? I feel unprepared for this," Nick felt a bit of anxiety at all of the closely-packed, gift-bearing bunnies.  
  
    "Serendipiday, being only a bunny holiday, can't compete with the  _other_ big gift-giving holiday," Violet explained, "so traditionally, we only offer presents to those who are new to the celebration." Nick noticed that Violet was holding a present as well.  
  
    "All of this is for me?" Nick asked, the tone of the question somewhat inquisitive and childish. He ran his hands through his ears, which felt warmed up.  
  
    "Aw, he's flustered!" Jenny smirked at him, tilting her head. "What a dork."  
  
    "Good thing we brought two suitcases after all, huh?" Judy wiggled her eyebrows.  
  
    "Open mine first!" Bradley shoved a rectangular present into Nick's gut. Nick started to meticulously open the present at its ends. "Aw, c'mon, dude, just use those claws!"  
  
    "If you say so," Nick looked at his now-regularly rounded claws, but gave a slash to the gift box to try to impress Bradley. It left three neat tears in the paper, and then Nick tore it open the rest of the way. It was a box for a red convertible model car. "Ah, thanks Rad! How thoughtful." Nick let genuine cheerfulness coat his voice to try to drown out Judy stifling a giggle with her paw.  
  
    "Got a ride into town yesterday and picked it up," Bradley said proudly, folding his arms. "Course I couldn't get you a  _real_ car, but I figured you'd like this."  
  
    "Very cool, Rad," Nick chuckled. "Bodacious, gnarly even." Bradley laughed, shaking his head. Violet stepped forward next, holding a somewhat rounded gift.  
  
    "Ah, please use greater care when opening mine," Violet said. Nick nodded and carefully opened the present. Violet slightly looked away as he gaped at what was inside, his eyes wide.  
  
    "Violet, this is..." Nick trailed off. It was a folded up blanket of bright purple and green colors. Nick pet the material; it felt soft. "A blanket?"  
  
    "It's lovely!" Judy smiled. "I mean, I was kind of expecting you to give him the Serendipity Sutra after what you said yesterday."  
  
    "I, uh," Violet pet over her own warming ears. "I surreptitiously acquired your measurements the last time you were here and surmised a proper blanket size. I've worked intermittently on it since then. The garish colors are, of course, because this is a Serendipiday gift. I chose the most comfortable synthetic material I could find to fashion it from, for maximum cuddling efficacy." Violet adjusted her glasses. "...Do you like it?"  
  
    "I love it, Violet," Nick smiled warmly. "I foresee Judy and I getting a  _lot_ of use out of this." Violet nodded, seemingly relieved.  
  
    "Me next!" Jenny twirled her small, square shaped present on the tip of one finger before tossing it over to Nick. Nick pulled open the ribbon and opened the box, which triggered a simple trap that set off a loud popper that spat bits of colorful paper at Nick.  
  
    "Guh!" Nick jumped a bit, startled. A few of the other bunnies gasped as well at the surprise. Jenny rocked onto her back on the couch, kicking her feet and loudly laughing. "I should have guessed. And, it's empty." The bunnies looked scornfully at Jenny.  
  
    "What?" Jenny rocked back into an upright position. "It's not empty! And geez, didn't anyone else booby-trap their gift? Who's  _actually_ following the spirit of Serendipiday here, huh!?" Jenny folded her arms tightly.  
  
    "Oh, I see," Nick more closely examined the box and pulled out a gift card that read "Lettuce Eat".  
  
    "This place isn't in Bunnyburrow, is it?" Judy tilted her head. "We're leaving later today."  
  
    "There's Lettuce Eats in Zootopia, Judy," Jenny rolled her eyes. Nick nodded to confirm this. "Go there with your pred, eat some food, get in the mood..."  
  
    "Jenny," Judy smirked.  
  
    "Thanks, Jenny," Nick chuckled.  
  
    "Speaking of, maybe open mine next?" Jayce set a gift box on Nicks lap. Opening it, Nick grit his teeth into a strained smile at two pairs of faux-fur handcuffs, one blue and pink, the other orange and green. Bonnie and Stu looked at each other with mild concern. There was guarded laughter.  
  
    "Jayce!" Jenny said through her teeth, her eyes wide.  
  
    "I figured it would be appropriate, since you're both cops," Jayce managed to say with a completely straight face.  
  
    "There's nothing  _appropriate_ about-" Judy began, then caught herself and coughed into her hand before going further.  
  
    "Why are they fuzzy?" one of Bradley's eyebrows perked. "To make the criminals comfy?"  
  
    "Yes," Judy said airly, narrowing her eyes and shooting Nick a smirk. "To make the naughty criminals comfy while you're punishing them."  
  
    "Aheh..." Nick tried not to slump down as his tail swished once behind him. There was a bit more laughter.  
  
    "Okay, how about a  _practical_ gift next?" Bonnie shook her head, setting a book-shaped package onto Nick's lap.  
  
    " _That_ isn't the Serendipity Sutra, is it?" Judy winced, pointing at the present Nick was already opening.  
  
    "Heavens no!" Bonnie looked upset, but then smirked. "It sounded to me like you two had plenty of creativity on your own." Several of the bunnies who parsed this gasped and made approving sounds. Nick placed a hand over his eyes briefly. Stu chuckled very uncomfortably.  
  
    "'Bunnyburrow's Greatest Recipes'" Nick read the title as he held the book up.  
  
    "I've got a recipe in there for this edition," Bonnie placed a hand to her cheek happily. "And Gideon has two! Just figured you shouldn't be spending  _all_ your money on eating out all the time."  
  
    "Nick can cook, mom," Judy protested, "he's actually not too bad at it."  
  
    "Well, I could always be better," Nick said. "Thank you, Bonnie." Bonnie hummed and nodded.  
  
    "Guess it's my turn, then," Stu handed a fairly long rectangular gift to Nick. Curiously, Nick opened it. It was a cherry wood picture frame, and in it was a picture taken from the last time Nick had visited them. Nick stared at it, dumbfounded, while Stu smiled a tiny smile. Most of the bunnies with them at that moment were in the picture: Bradley was making a cool pose, Jenny making a silly face while Jayce gave her a noogie. There was almost no rhyme or reason to the picture, except that in the middle of it was the smirking fox Nick with Judy excitedly hugged onto his side with both hands, balancing on one foot, a bright, open-mouthed smile on her face.  
  
    It was too much for Nick. He started to cry. There were a few gasps and questioning coos. Judy's jaw dropped slightly and she moved over to sit next to him, beginning to rub his shoulder. Stu's smile became a bit broader.  
  
    "Nick...?" Judy asked. "You okay?"  
  
    "Yhh-yeah," Nick insisted. "Jh-just think I might be allergic to this cherry wood or something..." He sniffled, a wobbly smile forming on his face.  
  
    "I don't get why Nick's crying," Bradley scratched at his own cheek.  
  
    "Just... got to me, a little bit," Nick admitted, taking a steadying breath. "All you bunnies together with me in this shot... I dunno. Gives me this nice feeling of belonging. You know, like to a pack, or a family..." He shakily sighed again.  
  
    "Aww, how sappy," Jenny smiled broadly. Bradley shoved her.  
  
    "Hey, shut up!" Bradley scolded. "It's cool for guys to cry."  
  
    "Sure is," Stu wiped one tear away himself.  
  
    "Thank you Stu, for this... reminder," Nick gave him a warm smile.  
  
    "Anytime, my boy," Stu nodded.  
  
    "Welp!" Judy pat her lap and stood up. "I guess that leaves me!" Nicks eyes narrowed as Judy put her hands behind her back and briefly shifted her weight onto her toes before flopping back down.  
  
    "Okay?" Nick chuckled. "Don't see a present with you."  
  
    "Didn't have time to wrap it," Judy said, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a coin from the Serendipiday festival. Nick gasped.  
  
    "Judy...?" Nick looked at her. Several puzzled sounds came from the bunnies as they wondered what the meaning of the coin could be.  
  
    "Remember when I said I dropped a coin, leaving us with an uneven number of coins between us?" Judy asked. Nick nodded. "I 'dropped' the coin into another of my pockets." She giggled, clearing her throat. "Nick, I know you said you didn't need a coin to commemorate our first Serendipiday together, but I wanted you to have one. This coin represents the chances we've taken together. I want to keep taking chances with you, Nick... so please..." Judy placed the coin into Nicks hand and folded his fingers over it. "Take it. Maybe it'll always remind you of our first time..." the two gazed wordlessly at each other for a few moments, then Judy lurched out of her spell, "our first time at Serendipiday!" Nick gripped the coin tightly as if he was drawing some sort of power out of it, silently nodding several times.  
  
    "Awww!" a chorus of bunnies signaled their approval.  
  
    "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" Jenny shook her fist and got several other bunnies to join her in a chant demanding them to kiss. Nick pocketed the coin and beckoned to Judy. Judy let herself fall directly onto Nick and laced her hands behind his neck as they kissed. The bunnies' chanting turned to cheering as the two shared an extended kiss. Bonnie and Stu held each others hands, smiling at the two.  
  
    Not too long after, Judy and Nick gathered at the entry hall where several bunnies lined up to hug the two goodbye, as Nick had come to expect was tradition for them.  
  
    "Have you given the 'list' your lecture yet?" Nick asked Violet after the gray bunny hugged her sister.  
  
    "Not yet," Violet admitted. "I was waiting till you two were gone to do it."  
  
    "She can get kind of loud," Judy explained. Violet gave a sheepish, diagonal nod. Nick offered his hands for a hug. Violet hesitated before shyly accepting, figuring a fox hug was a rare thing around her circles.  
  
    "Thanks for that lovely blanket, Violet. Seriously," Nick smiled.  
  
    "I hope it will be practical, useful, and comfortable," Violet adjusted her glasses before walking off.  
  
    "Keep being awesome, Nick!" Bradley encouraged. Nick offered his hand way up high for a high five, and Bradley leaped up and smacked his hand with no trouble. Then, Bradley hugged Nick tight. Nick "oof"ed in slight discomfort.  
  
    "Nick!" Jenny came up to him with her arms extended, but then broke off at the last second. "Psyche! Jayce and I are driving with you, so I don't have to hug you now." Nick's eyes fell halfway, then he lunged forward and dragged her into a hug, giving her a noogie. "Ack! Predator attack!"  
  
    "That looks fun!" Judy stole Jenny away from Nick and repeated the treatment, to Jennys groaning.  
  
    "Ugh!"  
  
    Finally, Bonnie and Stu got hugs from both Nick and Judy.  
  
    "Well, Nick, looks like you're pretty much part of the family now," Stu smiled fondly. "Come on back any time you can."  
  
    "Oh, I definitely will," Nick nodded. "Serendipiday was so fun; you won't be able to keep me away from it."  
  
    "Maybe next time you'll win something," Bonnie teased, leaning her head in.  
  
    "Eh," Nick hooked his hand around Judy and held her close. "I'm taking this home with me, so I feel like a winner."  
  
    "Aw," Bonnie put a hand to her mouth. She shook her finger at Judy. "You treasure that fox, now."  
  
    "Yes, _mom_ ," Judy grumbled.  
  
    After saying a few more goodbyes, the bunny and the fox joined Jayce and Jenny and headed off to the train station.

 

* * *

  
    The ride back to Zootopia was uneventful, and Judy eventually noticed Nick staring wistfully as Bunnyburrow faded into the horizon.  
  
    "You had fun, huh?" Judy smiled excitedly.  
  
    "It was amazing; the best vacation I've ever had," Nick nodded. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the Serendipiday coin. He stared at it carefully, looking through the slit in the middle, and playing it between his fingers.  
  
    Judy sighed happily at his appreciation for the trinket. "They say it'll never quite be as good as your first time."  
  
    Nick slowly looked at Judy and a devilish smile played across his face.  
  
    "Oh yeah? We'll just have to see about that."  
  
    Judy placed both hands to her face to stifle a squeal.


	14. Chapter 14

    "Yes! Got 'em!" Nick exulted, decisively tapping on his phone with a finger. "Two tickets to Gazelle's December concert and I didn't even have to call in any favors!" Nick proudly stomped across the living room of his apartment before stopping near the couch and taking a big breath. "Of course, they aren't the  _best_ seats, but we're mostly there just to get some autographed pieces of merch from Gazelle anyway. I think we can probably slip or talk our way past the guards and get to her room before she starts the show. What do you think?"  
  
    Initially, there was no response. Nick turned his head toward their bedroom and instantly his train of thought burst into flames. Judy was there, leaning on the door frame, twirling one of the fuzzy handcuffs in her finger. She was wearing little but a snug navy blue top, which her chest fluff was trying to escape from, and a matching, sheer-cut pair of panties. There was also a novelty police hat; Nick almost missed that. He tossed his phone carelessly on the couch.  
  
    "Why, I think that almost sounds _criminal_ ," Judy purred seductively. She captured Nick's rapt attention as she began to slink toward him, purposefully swaying her hips left and right as she closed the distance. Nick's heart felt like it was in his neck.  
  
    "Ah, good evening, officer," Nick said, trying to put on his best casual persona. "What seems to be the problem?"  
  
    "Haven't decided yet," Judy stopped twirling the handcuffs and ran a finger along Nick's still-clothed chest. "But it's clear you're up to trouble; foxes always are." She began to circle him; her movements still lithe and light. Nick had seen  _vixens_ less slinky than this bunny. Nick felt his pulse quickening as she circled him more than three times. He didn't know if Judy knew, but circling someone or something several times was a very canid behavior, and usually carried with it possessive intent. She was staking her claim, at least in Nick's mind. Judy's confident movements and appearance were very quickly causing the erosion of Nick's cool attitude, and he already had to struggle to keep in character.   
  
    "I feel as though I'm being profiled, officer...?" Nick led.  
  
    "Hotts. Judy Hotts," Judy smirked up at him, coming to a rest at his front. Her hand suddenly darted out to his pants, removing his wallet. Nick flinched at the action. "And it looks like you're Nicholas Mild, hm?" Nick tried not to chuckle.  
  
    "That's correct, ma'am," Nick said. "Now, as I'm not doing anything wrong, perhaps you'll let me be on my way?" Nick started to walk forward.  
  
    "Ah ah ah!" Judy said, grabbing onto his tie and holding firm to it, stopping Nick. Her brow furrowed. "Where are you off to in such a hurry? Very suspicious." Judy's eyes half-lidded. "I think I'll have to do a strip search."   
  
    "A strip search?" Nick repeated incredulously, holding his arms out wide. "You have no grounds to- mmph!" Judy placed a hand on his muzzle to stop him from talking, then shushed him with her other hand's index finger; still holding the handcuffs.  
  
    "Mr. Mild, you'll find that I'm quite a dirty cop," Judy mumbled sensually, starting to remove Nick's clothes. Judy had grown quite skilled at stripping her taller lover, and the force and speed with which she did this were mesmerizing to Nick. She carefully unbuttoned and removed his shirt, leaving his tie. His pants soon followed, leaving the fox mostly bare before her. "I think we can leave that on..." Judy stroked her chin and looked at him as if sizing him up.  
  
    "Well? Look, I've got nothing to hide," Nick placed his hands on his chest.   
  
    " _Really_?" Judy eyed his sheathe. "I'm not sure if that's true, Mr. Mild. You're under arrest." Judy brought Nicks wrists behind his back and cuffed him with "his" electric blue and pink fuzzy cuffs. "Now, march." She circled behind him and pushed him firmly on his back toward the bedroom.  
  
    "Where are you taking me?" Nick grumbled.  
  
    "It's clear you aren't being cooperative, so we'll have to try some advanced interrogation techniques," Judy said blithely. Nick tried very hard not to smile; Judy was as comfortable with this persona as any of her others. He wasn't sure if Judy was just a natural actress or if Nick had inadvertently shared some of his poker face skills with her. Either way, he couldn't help a welling feeling of pride at his talented lover.  
  
    "Now sit," Judy roughly pushed him at the bed, which Nick dramatically tumbled onto. Judy retrieved the other pair of cuffs Nick was gifted, releasing the pair Nick was wearing. She shoved him on his chest to make him lay back, only to handcuff him to the bed using using both pairs, one on each wrist; his arms held up and away uselessly. Nick instinctively tested his bonds. He was entirely at Judy's mercy, and his member was already starting to peek out of its sheathe, despite that she hadn't even begun to touch him. "Comfortable?"  
  
    "I don't know what you think you're going to find, Officer Hotts," Nick challenged in a defiant voice.  
  
    "I'm sure I'll find something that this naughty fox is hiding," Judy smirked. She carefully tickled his up his sides and underarms, making Nick shiver; his hands already wanting to stop Judy from the light touches, but he was unable. He gasped. "Well now, is this tough-looking fox ticklish?" Her claws and fingers went across his chest, down his stomach, and to his thighs, petting and tickling to get him to shake and murmur. Maddeningly, she was just deft enough to not send him into a full giggle; instead her careful touches just made him look weak and vulnerable. It was somehow very thrilling to him.   
  
    "Is this what you call advanced interrogation?" Nick scoffed. "Psh, you're not a real cop."  
  
    "Oh no?" Judy tilted her head. She undid her top, revealing her fluffy chest, and wiggled out of her panties as well. After this, she secured her police hat to make sure it wouldn't go anywhere. "I think you'll find I'm a very, very good cop, and I always get my mammal." She took her panties and daintily dangled them in front of Nick's nose. He grit his teeth; it didn't take too long for him to buckle and sniff desperately at them. "That's right, breathe in deep, you scent-driven tod... tell me what I want to hear..."  
  
    "I dh- don't know what you're talking about..." Nick insisted.   
  
    "I'll rub them on your face if you tell me," Judy taunted. Nick bit his lip and resisted, causing Judy to toss the panties over her shoulder, to Nick's whine. She looked backwards at her throw and grinned confidently as she looked down at her captive fox's body. "Well, it looks like I've finally got you, Mr. Mild." She crawled backward and ran her paw ever so gently over Nick's now fully-extended foxhood.  
  
    "Rgh..." was all Nick could make out, a bit of liquid seeping from his member at his heightened arousal.  
  
    "Concealing a dangerous weapon, tsk tsk," Judy shook her head, very delicately tapping at it with her fingers. "What are we going to do with you?"  
  
    "Would you believe I have a permit for it?" Nick smiled guiltily.  
  
    "Permit or not, you're not carrying a proper holster for it," Judy offered her naughtiest glare into his eyes, and started to rub her moistened lower lips against the length of Nick's member. "Fortunately, I think I happen to have one..."  
  
    Nick gasped and let out his breath in a groan; her teasing was electric to him. His body shivered again and his hips twitched. "Th-that's very kind of you to offer... glk!" Judy grabbed at his tie with both hands and yanked him forward to look at her.  
  
    "Hold on just a minute now, scoundrel," Judy tried to remove some of the good humor from her voice. "I caught you red-membered. You claimed I wasn't a real cop. Why should I do you any favors?"  
  
    "Th-that's an excellent point, Miss Hotts-" Nick started, before yelping as Judy pushed him back against the bed, crawling up to stare at him straight in the face.  
  
    "That's  _Officer_ Hotts to you, fox!" Judy snarled. Her face became slowly pleasant again as she stared at his wide-eyed gape. "But I'm not without mercy. Beg me to use my bunny cunny on you."  
  
    "Please, Officer Hotts," Nick grumbled. "Please properly holster my weapon..."  
  
    "Hm..." Judy swirled her fingers on his chest. "I don't think that was sincere enough."  
  
    "You're the most capable, sexiest cop I've ever seen," Nick begged. "I'm aching for you..." Nick swallowed, feeling like he might be dropping character. His pleading was getting a little genuine.  
  
    "Very well," Judy started coyly. She nipped at his neck, causing him to yelp. "You have the right to remain sexy. Anything of yours can and will be held against  _me_ for my pleasure. She dropped down and slid her chest and tight tummy over his length, making him bark out Judy's name. Judy spread her curvy hips and lowered herself onto Nick, positioning him with one hand and balancing herself on his chest with the other. Nick groaned in relief as he easily slid into her tight, wet entrance. She stopped, as was now usual for them, on his knot.   
  
    Nick took a deep breath, expecting the teasing bunny to start slow to keep up her teasing show. Instead, Judy's libido drove her to quickly start bouncing on him, driving her feet into the bed to get leverage as she started rapidly moving her hips. Nick moaned out in surprise at her sudden assault. Judy held onto Nick's side with one hand, while the other kept a firm grip on his tie.  
  
    "That's one thing about bunnies, we're good at humping," Judy groaned, continuing her barrage of bunny humps. All Nick could do was lay there, with his own hips helplessly twitching, as Judy rode him. She altered her angle for more leverage and her huffing breaths told him she was having a good time, too. It struck Nick how in control she was; even her moans of pleasure were more terse, her little "ah" sounds lacked her whining mumbles. Instead, Nick was providing his own as the sweet torture relentlessly drove the fox's pleasure higher and higher with frightening speed.  
  
    "Officer Hotts, nhh..." Nick groaned. His eyes could barely stay in one place. Judy's impish, lusty face was a good target, but it was also enthralling to watch his red length quickly vanish and reappear, made slick by both of their secretions. Judy guessed that Nick was close, so she slowed down just a little bit to let him collect his thoughts, tugging on his tie to bring him in for a lusty kiss before letting go of the tie and him, pressing both hands on his chest and bouncing on him like never before.  
  
    "You're coming with me...!" Judy quipped through her gasping.  
  
    Nick was quickly thrown over. Usually when he climaxed, he froze, not wanting to risk the urge to thrust in deeper and tie her. Now, with Judy continuing to thrust wildly through his orgasm, his pleasure was extended as he spurted within her.  
  
    "Such a violent discharge," Judy observed lustily. "I knew this thing was dangerous..." Judy bit her lip and squinted, keeping up her pace until she brought herself over as well. "Nnh, yes... you're quite spicy, Mr. Mild..."   
      
    Nick finally couldn't hold back a bark of pleasure as Judy's own climax squeezed her walls even tighter around his member. Nick collapsed back, panting as his pleasure was milked until he was finally released from his throes. Judy's little moans and confident glare at his defeated form made his tail begin to wag. She reached back and gently tickled at his furry orbs, which coaxed one more pulse of his cream into the bunny burrow.   
  
    "Had fun?" Judy took off her hat, wiggling on Nick's member a little more. It was clear that without his help, she wouldn't be tying herself on him. She tried not to let this ruin her excitement, and slowly crawled off of his messy length.   
  
    "You need to top more often," Nick gasped as Judy placed the police hat playfully on Nick's head. "Bunnies  _are_ good at humping..." Nick "mmm"ed in muffled surprise as Judy leaned in to lick at Nick's lolled, panting tongue with her own small tongue, her eyes shut daintily as she indulged in this. She gazed with a mixture of love and lust at Nick after several licks, and the two kissed. The cuffs jingled as Nick tried to move his arms again.  
  
    "Oops, sorry," Judy giggled, taking her keys and releasing Nick. She yelped as his hands quickly hugged around her and squeezed firmly.  
  
    "Mmm, I love this bunny," Nick mumbled affectionately, trying to regain his breath.  
  
    "And I love this fox-" Judy started.  
  
    "But Mr. Mild, really?" Nick laughed. "I almost felt the need to scream 'tax evasion' right there!"  
  
    "Sorry, I was too busy thinking of the rest of the script," Judy smirked.   
  
    "You really are a hot officer," Nick chuckled, pinching Judy's bottom lightly, to her delighted squeak. Judy nestled in, nuzzling under Nick's face, her ears framing his muzzle. He let his hand rest on her tail as the two slowly relaxed and let sleep consume them.


	15. Chapter 15

    "Do you think a poster and t-shirt will do?" Judy wondered as she and Nick stood in line at one of the merchandise booths. They were at Sahara Square's Animalia Stadium where Gazelle was to perform.  
  
    "Even just those two things will cost an arm and a leg," Nick winced. "I'm pretty sure I know Clawhauser's size, but even if we get it wrong, he probably won't actually  _wear_ it if it has Gazelle's signature on it."  
  
    "Mm," Judy nodded. "Rgh, I'm kind of nervous about this whole thing. The thought of trying to muscle our way in to see Gazelle is kind of daunting."  
  
    "What? To the great Judy Hot- er Hopps?" Nick smirked. Judy returned the smirk and elbowed him, but her countenance fell slightly.  
  
    "I dunno, Nick," Judy shrugged. "Some mammals still haven't forgiven me for that press conference. Gazelle is such a sweet activist for pred-prey relations... I caused a lot of trouble that she had to try to smooth over."  
  
    Nick grit his teeth, thinking seriously. A goat touched his shoulder.  
  
    "Hey, you maybe wanna move up?" the goat sneered. "So we can all get our stuff and sit down before the concert, maybe?"  
  
    "My bad," Nick said, trying to pay attention to the line. "Judy, I've thought a lot about your transgression, and... well, it took a lot of soul-searching, but I came to the conclusion that the reaction to it wasn't your fault."  
  
    "Excuse me?" Judy's brow fell. "How can  _you_ of all people say that?"  
  
    "Now, now," Nick held his paws up defensively. "I'm not going to say it wasn't damaging to say that, especially in my case. But you didn't have bad intentions. What you did was stir up the hatred and misunderstandings that were already dormant in the hearts of mammals."  
  
    Judy jerked her head away from Nick bitterly. "Wow, that sounds  _so_ much better."   
  
    "Even mine."  
  
    Judy turned her head slightly towards Nick. "...Nick?"  
  
    "My misgivings of you were there from the moment I saw your fox spray," Nick said, making sure to keep his eyes on the queue and not on Judy. "You gave me an excuse to remember all the pain prey had caused me, even though you had saved my life multiple times mere hours before."  
  
    "Nick!" Judy's voice was low. "I'm not going to blame  _you_ for  _me_ being an idiot!"  
  
    "I think it kind of had to happen that way," Nick shook his head. "Karma was looming large over Zootopia. The unrest between pred and prey was going to bubble up at some point, and she was going to punish us for our hidden thoughts about each other. It was just our 'luck' to have to be her instruments."  
  
    "Karma sure sounds like a female dog," Judy sucked at her teeth, her arms folding tightly.  
  
    "It's all about balance, honey-bunny," Nick shrugged, going to the head of the line. "A poster and a shirt please. That size." Nick pointed. "Karma isn't evil, she's just. She allowed us to come back together and set things right, after all."  
  
    "It was only Serendipity that let me see what the problem was in the first place," Judy shook her head as Nick paid for the items and was given a bag. "Serendipity that caused our meeting. Serendipity that placed those vines in our path so we wouldn't fall."  
  
    "So you're saying it isn't Karma that made a foxist like you fall for the foxiest fox you've ever foxed?" Nick smirked, his tone smug. Judy chuckled lightly, her mood brightening a little.   
  
    "Okay, enough religious mumbo-jumbo," Judy said. "We've got to try to get to Gazelle before the show."  
  
    Nick chuckled as the two headed off. "You know, I didn't actually think you'd use the cuffs? Serves me right. You'd think by now I'd know not to underestimate you."  
  
    "Karma," Judy looked at him teasingly.  
  


* * *

  
    "What are you two doing here?" a gruff-looking hippo accosted Nick and Judy in the backstage corridors. The two were quick with their badges, displaying them.  
  
    "Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps, ZPD," Nick explained. "We were just here to briefly see Gazelle."  
  
    "She's gonna be on in thirty minutes!" the hippo returned. "Is this official police business?"  
  
    "Not exactly," Judy admitted meekly. "We're here to do a favor. But maybe if you mentioned our names to Gazelle, she'd let us in?" Judy didn't look very convinced that this would happen. The hippo regarded the two skeptically and gently knocked on Gazelle's door.  
  
    "Two bozos here asking for you, Gazelle" the hippo said. "Claim to be police officers. Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps."  
  
    "Oh, let them in!" Gazelle said with little hesitation. The hippo looked confused, but shrugged and moved to let the two through.  
  
    "Don't do anything funny," the hippo warned. "It's only cause a' Gazelle that I haven't tossed you two out of here by now." Nick placed his hands together and gave a gracious nod of his head as the two swiftly entered Gazelles dressing room. She was clad in a radiant, sparkling dress, as usual for her performances, with her midriff bared. If Nick was honest, her looks really didn't do anything for him, which caused him to idly wonder why he found Judy so attractive.  
  
    "Hello!" Gazelle said. "It's lovely to see you two again."  
  
    "It is?" Judy blinked. "You're not upset about the time I kind of, uh... at the press conference?" Judy winced as she felt ambivalent about bringing it up.  
  
    Gazelle's face was even. "You may have done that, Officer Hopps, but I also saw you at each of my peace rallies in the aftermath. I saw repentance and regret in those eyes of yours. Not to mention the time you and Officer Wilde helped me personally."  
  
    "Ah, you remember that?" Judy asked in a somewhat shy voice.   
  
    "Of course!" Gazelle laughed. "I'd never forget how you two saved me from that runaway float at the first annual Skunk Appreciation Parade."  
  
    "Hehe, I guess we did do that, didn't we?" Judy put a paw to her face, glancing at Nick. He nodded, winking at Judy.  
  
    "It was quite exhilarating, watching you two jump into action and getting to wield those giant scissors," Gazelle recalled. "Can I do anything at all for you two?"  
  
    "Ah, I hate to request something so mundane and pedestrian," Judy winced, nodding towards Nick. The fox produced the two things they had just bought. "But could you autograph these?"  
  
    "Certainly!" Gazelle said, finding a glittery permanent marker to do just this. "Which of you do I make it out to? Or both?"  
  
    "Neither, actually," Nick smiled. "Please make it out to Benjamin Clawhauser. He's one of your biggest fans."  
  
    "Oh, I see!" Gazelle smiled, signing the two items. "You two are so selfless, and you make such a cute couple!" Both Nick and Judy's eyes widened at this.  
  
    "Ah, how did you come to  _that_ conclusion, ma'am?" Nick asked, just a bit defensively.  
  
    "Two off duty police officers coming to one of my concerts together?" Gazelle shrugged. "You know most of my set tonight is going to be about pred-prey tolerance, right?" Judy looked at Nick. He shrugged and grit his teeth.  
  
    "Okay, okay, you got us," Judy laughed nervously. "But could you not tell anyone?"  
  
    "Who would I tell?" Gazelle smiled, but then frowned a little. "Not that you should be ashamed of who you two are."  
  
    "We're not," Nick said quickly. "We just don't know how it would go over at the station."  
  
    "Plus, we'd be even more in the public eye..." Judy winced.   
  
    "You get used to it," Gazelle laughed. "Hey, what's your favorite of my songs?"  
  
    "Try Everything," Judy said instantly. Nick chuckled and nodded at this.  
  
    "Mind if I dedicate it to you two?" Gazelle smiled. Judy gasped in both shock and eagerness. "I wasn't going to sing it this time, but I think I'll perform it for my encore." Judy grinned widely with her teeth nearly sparkling. "Ah, she's a big fan too, I see."  
  
    "Mhm," Nick smirked. "Only Clawhauser is bigger. In more ways than one."  
  
    "Nick!" Judy scolded.  
  


* * *

  
    The concert passed pleasantly. Judy and Nick often had to stand at their seats to see over the mammals in front of them, and both the fox and the bunny ended up dancing in place more than once. Judy shamelessly rubbed her side up against Nick, triggering some approving glances down at her. Nick bumped her with his hips as well.  
  
    Judy's ears instinctively went back as the applause for Gazelle's encore raised to a deafening level. Gazelle waved at all of her fans and twirled around, her tiger dancers coming out to even more applause as her fans knew what was coming next.  
  
    "This next little one is dedicated to a bunny and a fox that are helping to make the world a better place for all of the mammals in it," Gazelle said. Judy squealed ans held her ears over her eyes. Nick smirked. "They know who they are. And you know what this song is, so get up and dance for me! C'mon!"  
  
     _"Oh, oh, oh, oh oh..."_ came the introduction to "Try Everything".  
  
    As Gazelle sang, Nick surprised Judy with his energy in his dancing. He might have not been what one could objectively consider "good", but he was giving it his all.  
  
     _"Look how far you've come, you filled your heart with love, baby you've done enough, take a deep breath..."_  
  
    During these lyrics, Judy took in a sharp breath as Nick curled around her, pacing around her body in a smooth dancing move. He circled her continuously, his tail brushing and almost wrapping around her. She shivered; she didn't know the significance of his action, but she had a feeling deep down inside that it was deeply personal to Nick. She responded by continually rubbing up against Nick, hoping to provide a nonverbal response to his encircling dance.  
  
     _"Try everything..."_  
      
    As the song ended, Judy bounced up and Nick caught her, the two sharing a powerful kiss, uncaring who saw.  
  


* * *

  
    Clawhauser's squeal was predictably piercing.  
  
    "Oh em goodness _gracious_!" Clawhauser gasped loudly while looking at his new shirt and poster. "Thank you so much! This is definitely Gazelle's handwriting, and you had her make them out to _me_!?" He squealed again.  
  
    "Just our way of saying thank you for your discretion," Judy smiled.  
  
    "I know it can't have been easy for you," Nick said in a charming voice.  
  
    "Oh, you know I'd never give up my favorite officers," Clawhauser got up from the front desk of the ZPD and hugged Nick and Judy close to him. "You both are so good to me, thank you!"  
  
    "Anytime, Donuts," Nick chuckled.  
  
    "Mph," Judy agreed, her face mostly muffled by the big cheetah. At that moment, Chief Bogo passed the three.  
  
    "Hopps, Wilde," Bogo greeted in his low, even voice. "A word in my office."  
  
    Apprehension stabbed at both of them and Clawhauser gently let them go. Once Bogo was out of earshot, he whispered down at them quietly. "Ah, I swear I didn't say anything, you guys..."  
  
    "It's fine, Benji," Nick adjusted his shirt. "Nothing to worry about."  
  
    The two made their way to Chief Bogo's office, dread starting to seep into their guts.  
  
    Judy tossed a wide-eyed look with her head tilted that seemed to say: "What do you think we've done now?"  
  
    Nick responded with a subtle shake of his head and a shrug, conveying: "Heck if I know".  
  
    Judy's eyes looked pained and her shoulders fell, and Nick understood that to mean: "We've been really careful..."  
  
    Nick nodded and gestured smoothly with one paw: "I know, it'll be fine."  
  
    They stood before Bogo in his office; both always feeling like little kits about to be punished by the principal.  
  
    "So," Chief Bogo said stonily. "Hopps, Wilde. About time we discussed this thing between you two."  
  
    "Pardon?" Judy smiled brightly. "You mean our partnership? Oh, our _partnership_! Haha. It's so great, isn't it?"  
  
    "Parnership," Bogo repeated flatly. "Fine. If that's what you want to call it. Listen. Rumors swirl about your... involvement with each other."  
  
    "If I may," Nick placed his hands demurely together. "Rumors are only rumors."  
  
    "Yes, well," Bogo retrieved a file. "Lest you forget, you two do currently work for a _police department_ , so..." He handed the file to Judy. "I had some snooping done to confirm my suspicions." Judy thumbed through the reports. There were scent measurements, receipts of several restaurants, and even, most dreadfully, some incriminating off-duty photos, including one as recently as the concert with the two kissing. Judy's heart sunk. Nick grit his teeth.  
  
    "Karma worked fast this time," the fox muttered darkly.  
  
    "What do you have to say to this?" Bogo wondered calmly, gesturing with both hands.  
  
    "That it's really none of the ZPD's business what Nick and I might do on our free time?" Judy said carefully, but anger seeped into her low tone. "We have kept our workplace relationship strictly professional, and we have not let anything compromise our duty to Zootopia."  
  
    Bogo folded his hands and placed them on his desk in a faux display of patience. "Yes, well, that's really not how it _works_ , now is it?"  
  
    "Rgh," Judy muttered. "So, is this how my dream ends? Just because of my feelings?"  
  
    "Chief Bogo," Nick stepped forward. "I would gladly accept resignation or reassignment other than let anything come upon Officer Hopps."  
  
    "Yes, I'm sure you would," Chief Bogo said. He very nearly smiled. "But you two need to stop being so melodramatic."  
  
    "Sir?" Judy's brow raised slightly.  
  
    "It's true I cannot condone your relationship and must strongly insist you do  _not_ bring it into the office," Bogo went on. "But I'm not going to punish you. Especially not with Vince Mousawitz as mayor."  
  
    "What's that mean?" Nick scratched his head.  
  
    "He's huge in the area of inter-species relationships," Chief Bogo explained. "Well, I mean, I suppose he's actually very _small_ , but..." Bogo gestured with the flat of his hand near the desk. "Regardless, the time may come when I need to be in his good graces, and firing two officers just because they might happen to be swapping sauces would  _not_ put me on his good side."  
  
    "So, then..." Judy rotated her hands, " _what_ was the point of calling us in here again? Scaring us half to death?"  
  
    Chief Bogo finally smiled, and it wasn't a small smile. It also carried a heft of malice. "Just think of it as my way of getting back for you two terrorizing me through the years." Judy let out a huge, decompressing sigh. Bogo flitted the fingers of one hand at them and said in a sing-song voice: "Dismissed".  
  
    The two turned to leave, and Bogo's voice stopped them. "Wait." They turned around. Chief Bogo stood up, pointing seriously at Nick. "Wilde,  _you_ especially are to behave yourself. You know what time it is. If you need a day or two off, you have them, so take them. Do not bring shame upon my department."  
  
    "Understood, sir," Nick said, surprisingly seriously. Bogo made a banishing gesture and the two left.  
  
    "What was  _that_ about?" Judy blinked. "Why did he specifically warn you and not me? I'm... uh, well, I'm much more of a firecracker."  
  
    "It's not that, Judy," Nick tossed her a guilty smile. "Winter has come."  
  
    "...Yeah?" Judy nodded in affirmation.  
  
    "Remember?" Nick looked around to make sure no one was in earshot. "I told you that's fox horny time..."  
  
    "Oh...!" Judy's eyes went wide.  
  
    "It's going to be a long few months..." Nick flashed an uncomfortable smile.   
  
    As was so often the case with herself around Nick, Judy was filled with both apprehension and excitement at this news.


	16. Chapter 16

    One chilly winter's afternoon, Nick and Judy were relaxing on the couch together, having taken the day off. The two were wrapped in the green and purple blanket that Violet had made for them. Nick had to slouch down so both of their heads were about on an even level. It took a bit of doing to find their best position for cuddling with the blanket, but it was warm and they enjoyed it. Despite the cozy and relaxing setting, Nick's breaths started to come a bit quicker.  
  
    "You okay, Nick?" Judy's ears easily picked up his mild distress and she turned her head towards him. "Too warm?"  
  
    "Not really, just getting excited is all," Nick said, taking a deep breath though his nose. Judy's scent seemed even more alluring to him than usual. He knew it wasn't her, as bunnies didn't go into heat, but it was definitely affecting him a bit differently.  
  
    "Are you sure you want to keep fighting it?" Judy wondered, looking at him with concern. "Will it be like this every winter?"  
  
    "I'm not sure; I don't think so," Nick firmly shook his head. "I read that the first winter a fox shares with his mate affects him especially powerfully, but I don't know how that relates to you and me."  
  
    "Either way, it can't feel good to keep denying yourself, Nick," Judy nuzzled his cheek, kissing it. "I'm right here."  
  
    "It's just a bit worrying to me, Judy," Nick sighed. "I feel like I have this... creature of lust thrashing to get out. I think it would be like our predator play without the 'play', I'd really just go nuts..."  
  
    "I'd never thought I'd hear  _you_ admit that you could go nuts," Judy poked at his side from within the blanket.  
  
    "That was also before I knew  _you_ that well," Nick poked back. The two laughed, but Nick's laughter was cut short. "I don't want to hurt you..."  
  
    "You won't," Judy said, her brow dropping. "You never will. Even if you went completely 'feral', I know I could bring you out with 'tax evasion'." Nick flinched at the words, feeling his concentration break momentarily. "See? You've given me all the power with this, Nick. I trust you."  
  
    "You're... s-so hot when you make sense," Nick licked her cheek. "I just... I feel like this lust I have isn't mine, somehow. It isn't 'me'."  
  
    "You're just hungry, foxy," Judy said coyly. "Want to be fed?" Nick grit his teeth and nodded. Judy let the blanket drop from around them, and both were nude under it.   
  
    "Mmmm..." Nicks eyes eagerly drank in Judy's form. Winter had been kind to her in Nick's opinion; her coat was about twenty percent fluffier, plus a small, perfect little heart-shaped dewlap had formed on the top of her chest. "That's the good stuff..." Nick's hand went forward to touch the dewlap. Judy placed her paw on Nick's wrist, petting it to encourage the action. "No bunny has ever let me get this close to her..." Nick's breath trembled as he pet her fluff.  
  
    Judy had to chuckle a little at just how enthralled he was over a few extra pieces of her fur. "Well, it's their loss for not appreciating a hot, fluffy fox." Nick's winter coat made him look more cute than sexy to Judy, but she did notice the changes in other areas. Namely, she could swear that his furry pouch at the base of his sheath was bigger; heavier looking, and not just extra-fluffy. Judy leaned in to rub her chin on the base of his neck and his shoulders. Nick groaned; he never tired of being marked by her scent.   
  
    "Hn..." Nick exhaled as Judy placed her hand onto his sheathe and pet downward to his fuzzy sac, giving his orbs a testing feel. They definitely felt a bit different to her, and Nick appreciated the exploration. His member was quick to peek out at the touches. Judy gasped when Nick nudged her chin out of the way to lick at her neck with a few broad lashes.  
  
    Abruptly, Judy got up and away from him, teasingly playing both hands on his muzzle and kissing his nose. As she darted off for their bedroom, something snapped in Nick, and he instantly, instinctively chased after her. Judy shrieked tersely and giggled as she sensed Nick chasing her and leaped onto the bed. Nick heard himself growl, though he didn't specifically remember telling his body to do that. Nick managed to pause to appreciate the sight of Judy on all fours, rump pointed at him, tail perfectly sitting atop it like a little dollop of cream.  
  
    "What kind of bunny rushes straight into a fox den?" Nick said, his voice heavy with his husky arousal.  
  
    "A naughty bunny who needs to be taught a lesson," Judy offered. Nick growled, approaching the bed and trying a gentle swat at her bottom. Judy yelped slightly, more in surprise, and moaned lightly as the small smack turned into a rub, a squeeze, and a finger testing her dampening slit.  
  
    "Already horny," Nick sucked at his teeth, bringing his finger up to smell it, then lick it. "You  _are_ a naughty bunny..."  
  
    "You going to take me bunny style?" Judy wiggled her rear at him, turning her head back. The sights, smells, and sounds were too much. Nick pounced, and the mere action of pouncing, landing on his prey, and feeling her body against his as he started to position himself above her felt so  _right_ to him. Judy gasped as she felt his tongue lick at the back of her ears; his hands slide down her arms and grip hers. His breaths were more haggard than usual, heavy with his desire.  
  
    "Excuse you," Nick scolded tersely. "This is called 'doggie style'." His foxhoods's tip pressed against her lower lapine lips and started to part them.  
  
    "Please," Judy teased. "Bunnies practically  _invented_ sex." Judy tried not to tremble in excitement as Nick prepared to take her this way.  
  
    "You'll be singing a different tune in a few minutes," Nick growled.   
  
    "Ah...!" Judy shivered at the rippling sound right near her ear. "I'm ss-sure I will be... nhh!" Nick shoved in, rougher than she had expected. Their more typical lovemaking of late had started with lots of foreplay, and slow buildup of their passions. This was entirely unlike that. It was primal. Possessive. Wild. Nick started thrusting fast and hard almost immediately with no pretense of caution. Judy squinted her eyes shut; she had little to look at but the pillow on their bed anyway. "Uh!"  
  
    "You're mine..." Nick grumbled, squeezing her hands with his. Nick felt his tail thrash and his tongue carelessly loll out as he panted through his thrusts.  
  
    "You've nh-never gone this hard before...!" Judy observed. As it didn't sound like a complaint, Nick responded by moving even harder against her. "Nick! Ah...! Nnh...! Yes!" Judy was absorbed by the ferocity of her mate's motions, his knot pressing tantalizingly firmly against her opening, threatening to enter. Judy realized she too was panting as a small line of drool escaped from her face. "Nh...!" Judy cried out wordlessly in rapture as Nick quickly brought her to a climax; the new angle and speed too much for her. She gave loud, impressed huffs with her eyes open, as Nick continued to thrust through her almost impossibly tight passage during her orgasm. This only enhanced her pleasure, and she cried out for him.  
  
    "There's more where that came from," Nick warned, continuing to take her. Judy nodded desperately, her arms and legs trembling a bit as Nick did not relent.   
  
    "Yes! Keep going..." Judy implored. "Ngh, Nick, please tie me... agh!" Judy squeaked in surprise as the mere thought of this rebuilt the speed Nick had lost from Judy's climax.  
  
    "Yes...!" Nick growled. "I've waited so  _long_ for this..." Lust flooded through his fur as if it was a fire; he felt parts of his back and neck bristle. His pleasure built as his singular goal drew nearer, his desire to fill the trembling, mumbling bunny beneath him never stronger. Suddenly though, he started to slow down and pull out. Panting, he started to shiver.  
  
    "Nick?" Judy looked behind her, looking at his member, which was glistening with her honey. "Nick please, no... please at least release into me..."  
  
    "I can't..." Nick panted, clutching at his heart. Judy made a sound of disdain and disappointment, turning around and going to rub her mate's shoulders. Nick suddenly locked eyes with her and she gasped tersely. "Not without looking into your face while I take you...!" Nick shoved her back into the bed and drove into her, his thrusts resuming with renewed ferocity.  
  
    "Nick...!" Judy yelled out desperately. Each thrust seemed closer and closer to achieving its goal, and her entrance seemed to be losing its battle to resist the knot's entry. Anxiety and need both swirled within Judy as she saw Nick's impassioned expression above her. "Tth... th..!"  
  
    Nick froze, his ears twitching as he heard the first sounds of the safe word. It took a monumental effort, but he stopped humping, though right on his own precipice.  
  
    "Th... take me, Nick!" Judy managed to scream. Growling, Nick gripped Judy's hips and pushed in as hard as he could muster, feeling his pleasure spill over. Judy shrieked out as she felt the knot suddenly pop into her, and the intense sensation brought her to a second climax.  
  
    "Nnhh! Mghhh!" Judy mumbled as she felt the fox's warmth gush into her.   
  
    "Rgh... Ghh...!" Nick agreed. He felt pulse after pleasureful pulse enter her; it felt like he was releasing more into her than he ever had before. With a short bark, he carefully but passionately bit the joining of Judy's neck and shoulder, wrapping his head all the way around her to accomplish this.   
  
    "Oh, Nick, _yes_...!" Judy shrieked, the bite sending off an extra shock of pleasure through her second peak. She felt his teeth carefully moving against her fur and flesh, trying not to break her skin, but firmly declaring his claim on her body. Judy bit her lip hard, her head moving back into Nick's. "Nnh.. Nick... _Nick_...!"  
  
    "Jhhdy.." Nick tried saying with his mouth full. Judy laughed pleasantly, then it turned into a full on explosion of laughter as the two started to come down from their pleasure. Nick released the bite and started chuckling as well. "Mm... Judy..." Seemingly on autopilot, Nick started licking his mate, his tongue lashing all over her face, cheek, and even eyes, to which Judy had to close before his broad whip of a tongue touched them. "Judy is a tasty bunny..."  
  
    "Mmm, Nick, you did it," Judy wriggled happily. "You tied me."  
  
    "I did _you_ ," Nick grumbled naughtily, continuing to lick. He tested himself with a short tug of his hips and was indeed stuck fast in her. He figured it would probably take a huge, and ill-advised, effort to remove himself from her. Nick wrapped his arms around her, kissed her, and held her close. Judy had to lean up to reach the descending fox face, but she didn't mind one bit. The filling feeling of her fox was something she'd get to treasure for a long time.  
  
    "That was amazing..." Judy huffed breathlessly between kisses. " _You_ are amazing."  
  
    "I'm just a horny fox who humped a horny bunny," Nick smirked.  
  
    "Feel any better?" Judy teased, her fingers massaging Nick's sides.  
  
    "Oh yeah," Nick confirmed, nodding. His claws worked up and down Judy's back, to her slight, delightful gasp.  
  
    "So, what now?" Judy giggled. "Up to an hour of cuddling, huh?"  
  
    "That's right," Nick nodded. "And part of why I wanted our first time of this to be facing you. Wanna look at that pretty face."  
  
    Said face softened a bit as Nick kissed her forehead, licking it and her ears. "Aw, Nick..." She hummed happily. "Well, I wouldn't have minded being the little spoon either if you had gone the other way... that way you could pet my tummy and dewlap!"  
  
    "That'll be for tomorrow," Nick murmured sensually, starting to play with her tail and butt lazily.  
  
    "Ooh, tomorrow too?" Judy grinned.  
  
    "Well, I do get hungry every day..." Nick warned.   
  
    "And a little bunny like me can satisfy this hungry fox," Judy nuzzled affectionately into his chest, kissing it.  
  
    "Completely," Nick nodded, holding her close. His tail beat lazily into the bed as he equally slowly pet through Judy's gray fur. She nestled into him, unleashing a very long, utterly content sigh, which he answered with a similarly long groan.  
  
    The two weren't going anywhere for awhile, and both were perfectly fine with that.


	17. Chapter 17

    Judy idly flipped through the cookbook her mother had given Nick. It was a chilly evening, though not frigid. Judy lounged around in her typical night clothes, with the addition of long socks, an occasional indulgence that kept her feet and legs warmer. Judy "hmm"ed over the pages; though she and Nick had already eaten dinner that night, she was looking to improve her skills in the kitchen.  
  
    Nick appeared, wearing a casual charcoal gray coat and primarily purple tie. Around one of his shoulders was slung a black tote bag. Judy looked over to him and regarded him with a blink and mild confusion.  
  
    "Going somewhere, handsome?" Judy asked Nick, her head slightly tilting.  
  
    "Just have to do a return," Nick replied, nodding. "You want to come along?"  
  
    "Sure!" Judy said brightly. "Just let me throw some warmer clothes on." She shut the cookbook and launched off of the couch, retreating to the bedroom to change her clothes. Nick followed her and stood in the doorway, grinning at her as he saw her change. "Seeing something you like, Nick?"  
  
    Nick nodded blithely. "I could name a few things. That cool model car perhaps, or that nice photo your dad gave me." Nick jerked his head over to the model car Bradley gave him, which he had completed, and the picture frame displaying his bunny family that sat proudly next to it. Judy rolled her eyes with a half-smile. "Course, there's that sexy bunny changing in front of me, too."  
  
    "Is this going to awaken my lithe, hungry beast?" Judy asked coyly as she shuffled a burgundy sweater on, her only other clothing on being her panties.  
  
    "I've eaten today," Nick winked at her.  
  
    "You sure have," Judy recalled, giggling as she stepped into some black pants. Once she was dressed, Nick beckoned her over. She bounded into his arms for a hug, which he readily supplied, giving her a little lick at the inside one of her ears, making her squeal a bit. "Careful now, before you turn  _me_ on and I have to get rid of these clothes all over again."  
  
    "Mm, okay," Nick set her down. "You ready?" Judy nodded, and the two exited Nick's apartment and took to the streets of Savanna Central. Judy decided early on that she didn't care to ask where the two were going; whatever mundane errand Nick had to do was irrelevant compared to the nice walk in the brisk, chilly air of the Zootopian winter. Her paw found his, and the two walked hand in hand.  
  
    The streets were quite peaceful that night, with few mammals around. With the vast majority of Zootopia being prey animals, and not all having protective winter fluff, Nick and Judy almost had the streets to themselves. It was unusually quiet between the two; silence presided as they merely enjoyed each others company. Finally, Nick stopped Judy at a corner.  
  
    "So, Judy," Nick said, softly placing his paws on her shoulders to halt her. "I've been wondering. You mind if I share some canid culture with you?"  
  
    Judy looked up at him in mild annoyance. "Nick. This year I've basically drowned you in lapine culture. You think I'm going to be upset with a few canid things?"  
      
    "Yeah, that's fair," Nick smirked. He steadied himself, allowing his mind to briefly flash over the events of the year. "Okay then." Nick started walking tight circles around Judy, his eyes focused on her as he did so.  
  
    "Ooh, this again," Judy smiled, her head following his movements as best she could. "There's something so...  _predatory_ about it."  
  
    "Some people say it comes from the old times of mammals," Nick explained. "Back when canids had to check for rivals before making a claim on a place, a thing, or another mammal." Judy shivered pleasantly, gently sinking her front teeth into her lower lip. "Others say it was an instinct burned into us from Karma herself; representing her Holy Circle of everything returning to itself."  
  
    Judy gave a small sigh at Nick's enchanting words. "Well, which do you believe?"  
  
    Nick stopped circling right in front of her. His muzzle was lowered slightly and he closed his eyes. Nick cleared his throat and drew in a deep breath. "I'll tell you what I _know_. I know that I need this bunny to be mine." His eyes suddenly locked onto hers with intensity.  
  
    Judy's mouth opened slightly as she considered Nick's face. His voice carried an unprecedented gravitas.  
  
    "Nick, you're..." Judy started. "You're telling me you want to marry me..." It wasn't a question; her voice was certain, but carried a hushed awe.  
  
    "Am I?" Nick smiled gently. "Am I saying that? I most surely am..."  
  
    Judy yelped and jumped straight up, crying out in delight. "Of course! Of course, Nick! Yes! I'd love to be your wife...!" Judy patted her hands rapidly on his chest, her teeth showing in her glee. Her shoulders scrunched up as she let out a small squeal. Nick sighed, clearly relieved, though he wasn't sure if he expected a different outcome.  
  
    "That's it then, you'll be mine," Nick purred, giving her a long kiss. Judy eagerly got onto her tip-toes to join him into this.  
  
    "Wait," Judy backed off after the kiss, smirking and folding her arms. "Where's the ring?"  
  
    "Ah..." Nick looked suddenly nervous. "Here's the thing. I kind of wanted to... um... heh. Heh heh. You see, uh..."  
  
    "Nick," Judy chided. "You don't have a ring?"  
  
    "I do not," Nick admitted. "I don't have one of those." He took a deep breath. "Hoo boy, here goes nothing." He reached into the black tote bag he was carrying and brought out a velvet box which was bigger, longer, and thicker than a box that might contain a ring.  
  
    "That's not a ring box," Judy observed. Her hands went out to take it, but went back as he saw Nick's slight hesitation.  
  
    "That's correct, it's not a  _ring_ box..." Nick confirmed, nodding. His paw slightly trembling, he moved it to the top of the box to open it. "Judy, will you... will you show the world that you belong to me...?" Swallowing hard, Nick opened the box.  
  
    Judy gasped shrilly when she saw what was inside. It wasn't a ring; it was a _collar_. A small, dainty collar, obviously sized to fit Judy's neck. It was black with wispy, whimsical, curling hints of silver thread around the strap, and on the center dangled a jeweled charm. Judy had to laugh as tears threatened to well up. The charm was clearly in the shape of a carrot, with citrine and emerald comprising the decoration.  
  
    Nick stared at Judy, clearly nervous. Judy looked up at him, tears sparkling in her eyes. She choked out a happy, small laugh.  
  
    "It's- yeah, it's a canid thing..." Nick elaborated. "During engagement, the-" Nick's words were halted as Judy took the collar and began to put it on with no reservations. Nick was stunned into silence at her pretty little toss of her head as she closed her eyes and affixed the collar to her neck. She gently ran her hand along the collar once it was on, opening her eyes slowly to look at Nick.  
  
    "Well? What do you think?" Judy smiled brightly, giving a little twirl, hearing the slight jingling of the charm.  
  
    "You're beautiful..." Nick breathed out in awe.  
  
    "You want me to wear a symbol that a fox owns me..." Judy nodded. "And I will do that gladly. Because I'm proud to be yours."  
      
    Nick could only swallow and nod twice, placing the box back into his tote. Judy's mouth hung open slightly as she observed this, something suddenly occurring to her.  
  
    "Nick..." Judy said haltingly. "Earlier, you said... a return? Were you going to take this back if I didn't...?"  
  
    "Oh no," Nick shook his head. He dug into his pocket and pulled out his Serendipiday coin, flipping it and catching it once before shaking it in his hand. "When I said I had to do a return, I didn't mean returning some _thing_. I meant returning some _where_." Nick flipped the coin again, higher this time. Judy's head followed it and she finally noticed where they were, seeing the peach-red awning of Jumbeaux's Cafe. Judy felt a chill and gasped. Nick chuckled lightly and pocketed his coin.  
  
    "Th-this is where we met!" Judy marveled. "You... you sly fox! You brought me back to where our life together started, completing the circle of Karma..."  
  
    Nick nodded with a broad grin. "Where Serendipity chanced us to meet each other. To meet a dumb little bunn-mf." Judy tackled him and kissed him again, stilling his words. Nick squeezed her tight, then released her after the kiss.  
  
    "All right, this is going to sound corny, but I memorized a little bit from the Canid Scriptures for this," Nick cleared his throat, holding Judy's paws in his.  
  
    "Her tail held in her mouth, Karma tirelessly hunts for those who have escaped punishment or reward. See, o canid, that good deeds go out from you, so Karma may fetch them and return them to you threefold."  
  
    "Mm..." Judy smiled at this, giggling. "Well, I have a little something for you too, a poem about a lapine goddess..."  
  
    "When a fortunate rain saves the whole crop  
    When a paw stills you as you feared you'd drop  
  
    What right turn frees you from a deadly maze?  
    What makes lovers join to share all their days?  
  
    That's Serendipity."  
  
    Nick slowly let out a decompressing sigh, staring at his bunny's placid face.  
  
    " _BOOM!_ " Judy suddenly screamed at him.  
  
    " _Agh_!" Nick yelped, recoiling away from her, to her raucous laughter. Nick shook his head and tried to banish his rattled expression. "You know, I really should have expected that by now."  
  
    "Well you _didn't_ , and that's what's adorable," Judy said with a fond chiding tone.  
  
    "Hey, could you two get a room or something?" Jerry Jumbeaux himself was just outside his shop, closing it up for the night. His voice was gruff and impatient.  
  
    "You know, the elephant has a good idea," Nick smiled, firmly grasping Judy's hand and starting to walk toward their apartment. It was initially quiet as they walked. Judy's ears picked up the very quiet jingling of her collar's charm as she moved forward; the sound like a subtle song that she belonged to her mate. This filled her with a deep sense of contentment that she'd never known before.  
  
    "This means a lot to me, Nick," Judy placed a paw on her collar.  
  
    "I was actually thinking you'd propose to me eventually," Nick said. His voice became slightly frivolous. "'Marriage, huh? You want to do that sometime?'"  
  
    "Haha... I did- I did say that..." Judy gave a guilty smile. "Nick, all my life I've tried to control my own destiny. If I proposed to you, it would just be another conquest for the great Judy Hopps." She sighed. "So... for you to want to claim me yourself... to tell me what  _you_ want me to do with my life... that is, share it with you..."  
  
    "Yh-yeah, I got you," Nick's lip wobbled, as it seemed like he might cry.  
  
    "So!" Judy chirped to break the solemn mood. "Tell me more about this collar."  
  
    "Well, I  _will_ get you a ring for the wedding, that doesn't change," Nick managed a brief chuckle, wiping his eyes. "That's why you don't see a lot of female canids wearing collars all the time."  
  
    "But..." Judy seemed contemplative, "I  _can_ keep the collar after we're married, right?"  
  
    "Of course," Nick nodded. "It's yours to do with whatever you wish."  
  
    This seemed to please Judy and she wiggled her shoulders happily. "Ooh, once we get home I'm going to show you just  _how much_ I belong to you... hey, can I leave this on while we go at it?"  
  
    "Oh yeah," Nick nodded rapidly. "In fact, I think that might do it for me..."  
  
    Judy flashed a smile mixed with both love and playfulness.  
  
    "Then on it'll stay."  
  
    The two made their way off into the night, both feeling like they were standing on the edge of something wonderful, anticipating what the evening and the days beyond held for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for joining me on this exploratory story. It's now over!
> 
> Special thanks to Roahm, my proofreader, for his patience and help in improving the story.
> 
> Also would like to thank all of my readers, and especially the regular commenters for their help and encouragement. If not for you, this probably would have ended at chapter three. Regardless, I think I said everything I needed to say about an intimate look at a relationship between these two. I hope you've enjoyed.


	18. Epilogue

    It was a bright spring day in a sprawling, open field of Bunnyburrow near the Hopps Compound, on their property. The temperature was warm, though not unpleasant for most, with a hint of a breeze that carried refreshment. This was the time and place that Nick and Judy were to be wed.  
  
    The guests were seated in concentric circles that radiated out from a center point, decorated by a thin stone circle. This point had a circular arrangement of colorful pastel flowers provided by the Ottertons. They were in attendance, as well as their two children. Many bunnies were present, most on good terms with Nick, a few neutral towards him, and even some who disliked Nick, who had only turned up to see if the wedding was going to be as much of a shambles as they had predicted.  
  
    A few other familiar faces were present too, most near the back to not take up precious viewing area of the many small bunnies around. Among those was Benjamin Clawhauser, who wouldn't have missed this event for the world, and surprisingly, even Chief Bogo had shown up. The buffalo wore a bored, tired look, wishing the ceremony would just begin.  
  
    Positioned on all four sides, just behind the bridal parties and closest friends and family, were a group of sharply-dressed mammals with violins and other stringed instruments, tuning up for the proceedings. Before too much longer, Jayce Hopps made his way to the center of the area, taking out a microphone, checking the volume level. After everything was determined to be copacetic, he began to speak.  
  
    "Hello, everyone!" Jayce began warmly. "Welcome to the wedding of Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps! Thank you to everyone who made it to celebrate this joyous event. This wedding is going to be a little unusual by bunny standards, as you might expect. First of all, I'd like to recognize Susie Bunkins, the wedding planner for this ceremony." Susie, a wide, tri-color bunny, stood up and took a tiny, almost imperceptible bow, to mild applause. "Without her, there's no way this wedding would be possible. Between our little bridezilla and her meticulous groom, nothing would have gotten done!" There was some laughter at this remark.  
  
    "But I kid; Nick is like a brother to me," Jayce said airily, looking up at the sky a bit. "In vulpine tradition, the officiant of the wedding is the fox's closest sibling of legal age, so I thank him for giving me this unique opportunity, as he is an only-kit. This'll be the last time I can claim that Nick is 'like' a brother, because he's about to become a brother to me and many of us seated here today, whether we like it or not!" A bit more laughter, and some of Nick's detractors received ribbing.   
  
    "I have a special responsibility when it comes to this ceremony," Jayce explained. "As this wedding is going to be a blending of lapine and canid traditions, I will be explaining the significance of some of the customs to our audience. Anyway, I'm sure you all are tired of hearing me talk already, so let's get this show on the road!" Some clapping and a few cheers followed. "First of all, the bride and the groom must meet. They will engage in an old lapine custom brought upon by worshipers of Serendipity: The Meeting of Surprise."  
  
    Nick and Judy were alerted by other members of the bridal party, and both showed up, one at either end of the large circle created by the event area. An aisle was cut down the middle for both of them to walk through, and they did so backwards, not seeing each other. Both of them seemed to be carefully measuring their steps, as they were supposed to meet in the center of the circle marked by the flower arrangement. The violins began to play an unassuming, peaceful tune.  
  
    Slight gasps and murmurs of awe fell over the crowd as they saw Nick and Judy, who were focused on their backwards steps. Carefully, they made their way past the border of flowers, their breaths and pulse quickening as they hoped to meet in the center. Due to their concentration on the task at hand, when they finally did bump into each other, it was actually surprising to them. Their backs touched each other and Judy felt Nick's tail on her ankles. The impact was met with a sudden sting on the strings of the violinists. Slowly, they turned around to regard each other in their wedding clothing for the first time.  
  
    "Nick is wearing a traditional lapine-cut black tuxedo," Jayce explained. He was now seated, out of the way of the ceremony, so focus could be given on the two to be wed. "Sized for a big hare, of course." Nick and Judy tried not to smile too widely as the other guests laughed. "The short coat-tails are a favorite for bunnies, and since Nick insisted on wearing a 'normal' tie and not the traditional bow tie, it was decided for him to wear a more modern wedding tie in accordance with Serendipity's followers." Nick's tie was black, but it had vivid splotches of various colors on it. "The tie signifies that even in the most perfect arrangement, surprises are always waiting to bring color to our lives."  
  
    "Judy is wearing a traditional vulpine wedding dress," Jayce went on. Eyes were mostly on her, as it was quite different from a normal bunny wedding dress. "The thin cut is complimentary to vulpines' more lithe forms, and it looks great on our slim little Judy, doesn't it?" Judy's white dress had little in the way of sparkling adornments, and it exposed her shoulders. The slim dress came only down to her knees, and it had another gossamer layer above that that just barely came down to her ankles. Judy was still wearing her engagement collar. "The dress lacks the poofiness and large train of traditional bunny dresses. However, this will be neccesary for the next act in our celebration."  
  
    Nick swallowed, and Judy offered Nick a placid smile.  
  
    "I'm not supposed to explain this one too much," Jayce chuckled a bit. "This is a very old canid marriage tradition. Judy will now perform her own interpretation of the Dance of the Moon." Jayce made a beckoning motion to Bradley, who swiftly came up to the two.  
  
    "You who are mine," Nick started carefully, speaking in a clear voice. "I release you." Nick carefully undid the engagement collar and placed it on the pillow Bradley was holding. The bunny quickly departed with the collar and found his seat. Judy, slowly, meticulously moved away from Nick as a haunting, ethereal song started to play from the violinists.  
  
    Once Judy had reached the inside edge of the flower demarcation, she began to serenely dance around it. Her dance contained slow, graceful steps, gentle points of her feet, and twirls with one hand held above her head. Nick stood in place at the center as she danced around the circle of flowers, as he was supposed to, only slowly turning to follow her dance. Smoothly, Judy continued her dance, wearing a peaceful look. Nick had never known her to be capable of such grace and beauty, and he was enraptured by the dance.  
  
    The dance continued for three full revolutions around Nick along the flower circle, then Judy moved back in towards him with subtle dance steps. There were coos of awe and gasps at what occurred next. Nick stood motionless, his arms to his side as Judy turned around and pressed her back up against Nick. She began to dance again, her eyes closed and her steps around him slow as she kept pressing in on him. Her shoulders slightly scrunched, her arms daintily at her side as she moved. There was a palpable note of sensuality to the dance. Nick's eyes closed as well as he was consumed with the feeling of her movements, as well as her fresh, clean smell, unhindered and natural.  
  
    After her third revolution around Nick, she came to a halt in front of him, looking up at him sincerely. She took Nick's paws in hers, and smiled. The music slowly came to a close.  
  
    "I who am yours," Judy said sweetly, "I return to you."  
  
    The audience was stunned into silence as no one knew whether they were supposed to clap or not. Jayce himself seemed to jerk out of a trance that both Nick and Judy were caught in as the two gazed at each other.  
  
    "Next, we will hear their personal vows," Jayce managed to say. He was pretty sure he could hear Stu trying not to cry near him.  
  
    "Judith Hopps," Nick started softly, squeezing her fingers. "I was always content to let the tides of inertia move me where they willed. I was, unknowingly, a slave to chance. But one day, Serendipity decided to bless me instead by bringing you into my life." Judy's teeth sparkled in a wide smile, but she swallowed it into merely a large grin, trying not to be overcome. "You brought me out of the cyclical thinking I was trapped in. If a fox can't be accepted, I won't accept others. But I always knew what I wanted, deep down. To belong. What I  _didn't_ know was... even deeper down, I wanted someone to belong to  _me_ as well. But now that I know that... I don't think I can be without you, Judy." Judy hummed softly, tearing up a little bit. Jayce was now certain Stu was crying. He looked back to see Bonnie wiping his eyes.  
  
    "Nicholas Wilde," Judy started, regaining control over her voice. "It definitely has to be Karma that I, a self-sufficient, driven bunny with unusual aspirations, would fall so tail over ears in love with a fox. A fox, the species of whom I mistrusted. A fox, who showed me that deep down he was more caring and loving than anyone I've ever met." Nick let out an unsteady huff at this, smiling with effort. "My life's course has always been mine to dictate. But I've come to learn that the most personal thing you can give someone is your trust. So Nick, I'm going to show everyone today that I trust you with my life and my future... where will we go with you leading me? I'm so excited to find out..."  
  
    "It's time for the rings," Jayce said, adjusting his throat to try to quell the tightness threatening it. Bradley got up, very carefully bringing a silver-colored balloon that lacked a string to the two standing on the stone circle. Nick and Judy held it very gingerly. "A Serendipidy tradition, the partners will now try to simultaneously pop this balloon containing their rings. Legend has it that if their rings come to rest near each other, they will enjoy a long and happy life together."  
  
    The two looked at each other over the balloon, silently asking each other if they were ready. They tried carefully to breath in synchronization with one another as the violinists played a tense note on their strings. Judy and Nick drew back with one of their hands, squinted, and stabbed forth with their claws.  
  
     _POHHHFF!_  
  
    The punctured balloon exploded in a shower of silver confetti. Judy and Nick quickly opened their eyes, seeing their wedding bands tumble to the ground and come to rest. Judy looked anxiously at it. Though she was always one to avoid tradition when it conflicted with her, she really wanted their bands to touch. The violins played a declarative, somewhat triumphant jingle as the rings stopped moving.  
  
    "Let the photographer make a note of where the rings lay!" Jayce announced. A picture was snapped. Judy and Nick both smiled as the rings were nearly laying on one another, with the ring that Judy would wear slightly atop Nick's. Bradley reappeared with his fancy red pillow and carefully gathered the rings, holding them up for Nick and Judy.  
  
    "With this ring, you are my prey," Nick said, slipping a gold ring with a fetchingly-cut emerald onto Judy's finger. "My hunt for you is ongoing, and you alone deserve my craving."  
  
    "With this ring, you are my predator," Judy said, gently placing a silver ring with a handsome amethyst set into it on Nick's finger. "May your hunger for my presence never be satiated, and let your hunt continue."   
  
    "They kinda just made that last part up," Jayce admitted, to light laughter. "And the rings have no special significance either, only to them. Nick gets to wear silver, though, so I guess foxes are more easily pleased than bunnies." Judy shot Jayce a dirty look when the laughter picked up, and Nick chuckled under his breath.  
  
    "With this, I now pronounce you two husband and wife," Jayce said boldly. "Now please, kiss!"  
  
    Nick tilted his head down and Judy tilted her head up as they shut their eyes. They moved easily into the kiss, and it was a deep kiss, though had an air of delicacy to it as well. It lasted quite a long time and betrayed a bit of their hunger for each other to the onlookers. The crowd cheered at their kiss, and Clawhauser's voice was easily discernable in the audience.  
  
    "Let me introduce to you: Nick and Judy Wilde!" Jayce said dramatically. More cheering and clapping erupted as the violins started to play a traditional bunny wedding song, mostly drowned out by the din.  
  


* * *

  
    The reception was held in a building of the Hopps Compound exclusively intended for parties, as bunnies often loved to be entertained. The noise level in the area was fairly high as bunnies tried to talk over each other about the ceremony and sneak in for pictures and association with the newlyweds. The photographer bunny had his paws full trying to capture as many interesting moments as he could.  
  
    A white bunny with unusual black, tiger-like stripes was talking to a male cougar. Nick recognized them both as violinists in the celebration. Seeing a chance to talk to Nick, the bunny excused himself to the cougar and made his way over to Nick.  
  
    "A lovely celebration, I must say," the bunny said. His voice had a slightly refined air to it.  
  
    "Thank you very much," Nick smiled. "Your accompaniment was quite nice."  
  
    "Ah, I'm just a cog in the proverbial machine," the bunny swiped his arm. "It's due to Robert Catmull's genius, the feline over there, that we're so pleasant to the ear." The bunny gestured to Robert and waved. "I suppose he does rather like to go by 'Bobby' though, for some reason." Nick waved at him, and Robert waved back, though he was starting to be inundated with attention from several bunny females.  
  
    "A regular Casanova," Nick smirked.  
  
    "Some bunnies like a male that can play," the bunny smirked. He offered his hand. "My name is Savage. Jack Savage."  
  
    "Nicholas Wilde," Nick said automatically, shaking his paw. "Though I guess you've heard that by now."  
  
    "Indeed," Jack smirked. "I must admit that the subject of inter-species marriage is quite near to my own heart. I must thank you for allowing me to be a part of such a pleasant example of one."   
  
    "Any time," Nick chuckled. "I mean, no, not any time. I only plan to get married once."  
  
    "Oh, of course!" Jack laughed, but then one of his ears twitched. "Mm. Ah, I'm sorry Nicholas, but will you excuse me?"  
  
    "Sure, one of your people need you?" Nick jerked his head over towards his fellow musicians.  
  
    "Yes, yes that is indeed it," Jack pointed at him twice and swiftly made his way off.  
  
    Judy gasped as she noticed Fru-Fru approaching her, leading her young daughter by the wrist. Judy offered her paws for the two and Fru-Fru stepped right in. The little shrew hesitated.  
  
    "Now Judie, this is your godmotha," Fru-Fru said sweetly. "C'mon, now!" Judie relented, standing on the paws. Judy brought them up close and touched her nose gently to each of theirs. Judie giggled.  
  
    "You did make it, Fru-Fru!" Judy marveled. "Oh and look at little Judie. How old is she?"  
  
    "Just about five!" Fru-Fru said. "Omigawd, it is  _so_ amazing ta see you in that _dress_!"  
  
    "Aw, thank you so much!" Judy replied, giggling. "I really do like it."  
  
    "And that _dance_!" Fru-Fru fanned at herself. "So _sexy_...! I'm pretty sure some of the olda bunnies musta  _fainted_ when they saw ya do that."  
  
    "Fru-Fru..." Judy rolled her eyes, smiling.  
  
    "You're pretty," Judie added simply.  
  
    "Thank you, honey," Judy replied. "You be good for your momma, okay?"  
  
    "Okay," Judie nodded, and Judy set the two down. The two had barely gotten clear of Judy before a large, squealing cheetah was upon the newlyweds and hugged them both to him.  
  
    "Aaa!" Clawhauser exclaimed loudly. "You two are  _so_ precious! What a beautiful wedding!"  
  
    "Thanks, Clawhauser," Nick said, muffled by cheetah fur. Judy giggled, nodding into the embrace before the two were released.  
  
    "You know, I always  _just knew_ that you two were perfect for each other," Clawhauser said, giving them a considering grin. "I should have put up a betting pool. Though I think the bigger bet would have been  _against_ you." Bogo stomped over, gently pushing him aside.  
  
    "All right, Ben, try not to cause a scene," Bogo said, giving the fox and bunny a glance. Nick and Judy wore slightly nervous smiles, as if they were being evaluated. Bogo smiled slightly. "Lovely ceremony, you two." Judy's mouth opened as if she was about to say something, but then Bogo's expression became firm. "However, I don't want to see any of this 'possessiveness' creep into your work. You two can only remain married partners on the police force if you are both of the same rank. You understand me? You are basically to be each others partner as long as you work with the ZPD."  
  
    "Well I like the sound of that," Nick said with his trademark lazy smirk.  
  
    Judy nodded emphatically. "Yeah, all of that stuff with the domination and the possession and the ownership... it's basically just symbolic."   
  
    Bogo poked up a curious eyebrow. "Yes, 'symbolic'. Surely. Anyway, congratulations." Bogo chuckled and was off.  
  
    The guests enjoyed many types of food that evening. Clawhauser stuck to mostly sweet things, not being a big fan of vegetables. Other food available included fruit tarts and mochi. There was sweet wine and sparkling grape juice for the kits. Nick and Judy attempted to feed each other, both resisting playfully, which resulted in some silly pictures. The time swiftly arrived to cut the cake, which was a big blueberry-adorned carrot cake prepared lovingly by Gideon Grey.   
  
    "That is the biggest cake I have ever seen," Nick marveled flatly as Judy picked up the knife. "There's no explosives in it, are there? Maybe a bunny inside waiting to burst out?"  
  
    Judy's brow fell. "There better  _not_ be. Where's Jenny?" The two scanned the crowd to see Jenny, who excitedly waved. Judy slowly pointed the knife in her direction and narrowed her eyes. Jenny held her hands up defensively, laughing.  
  
    Nick guided Judy's hand to cut the first slice of the cake for the two, to more pictures and happy murmurs.  
  
    "Well, it's almost disappointing that nothing exploded," Nick admitted.  
  
    "I'd like to remind you that I'm wielding a knife," Judy smirked. "I don't think anyone would be dumb enough to dare to surprise me right now. No one except Jenny, of course." Jenny was slowly creeping up behind Judy, but stopped when she was called out.  
  
    "Aw..." Jenny droned in disdain. Judy and Nick were more delicate with feeding each other the cake, taking turns delivering mouthfuls of the tasty cake to each other, although halfway through it seemed like Judy was more content to let Nick feed her, lost in a haze of affection.  
  
    "You two are ridiculously cute," Bonnie said, seated next to Judy.  
  
    " _Mom_!" Judy returned in annoyance. "You can't call a fox cute! Only other foxes can do that." Nick and Bonnie chuckled at this.   
  
    "Hmm..." Bonnie smirked. "Nick is sort of legally a bunny now, isn't he? That means I can call him cute all I want. Cute, cute, cute."  
  
    "Thank you, ma'am," Nick said with only half-pretend graciousness.  
  
    "Don't encourage her," Judy smirked, stealing the fork back and shoving a big mouthful of cake into Nick's maw.  
  
    "Lovely wedding, my boy," Stu pat Nick on the back after he swallowed his mouthful.  
  
    Nick smiled thankfully. "Was everything okay, do you think?"  
  
    "Yeah, you two did just fine," Stu said solemnly, patting him on the back again. "Just fine."  
  
    "Everyone, an announcement to make," Jayce said at the center of the dance floor. "Before we do all the traditional dances and stuff, Nick and Judy both have a few words they'd like to say outside to anyone that wants to listen."  
  
    The two nodded, got up, and headed outside. Stu offered his hand to Bonnie, who daintily took it with a playful smile and followed. Violet headed out with her tablet, eager to record their speech. Bradley and Jenny quickly rushed out to follow, and even Ivory was curious as to what they would say.  
  


* * *

  
    The Moon was full that evening; the timing of the wedding had not been an accident. The interested parties had followed Nick and Judy outside onto the porch of the party hall, ready to hear them speak. Stu, however, had made his way off while no one else was watching.  
  
    "I think it's kind of funny that both canids and lapines have legends involving the moon," Judy began. She sighed pleasantly. "Although most of the bunnies here already know it, I want to tell the story of the Bunny on the Moon." She cleared her throat. "Serendipity was once a bunny much like any other. She loved surprising and scaring others, and she  _especially_ loved fireworks. One day, on the day we now know as Serendipiday, she created the largest firework she had ever made. She wanted to make the best, biggest, and brightest explosion ever, that could be seen by all across the world."  
  
    "However, many bunnies had grown tired of Serendipity's pranks. They conspired to sabotage Serendipity's firework. She brought it out to a large rice field and lit it, when-"  
  
     _"BOOM!"_ Judy and many other bunnies shouted. Nick flinched, letting out a terse sound of malcontent. He really thought he'd be ready for this shout by now.  
  
    "The explosion was so large that it tore the rice field and a large chunk of the Earth away, and this became the Moon," Judy continued. "Serendipity was alone on the Moon, with nothing to do but pound the rice of the field into mochi cakes, her last activity available to her which brought her joy. Soon the Earth lacked the happiness that came from Serendipity's unexpected surprises. Eventually the Moon was barren of the rice fields, with no rain to grow more."  
  
    "With weariness and dullness prevailing over the Earth, a brave bunny named Artemis constructed a giant bow, wrought from a crescent of the Moon left back on Earth. She placed herself as the projectile, with a long length of rope on her ankle. Shooting herself to the Moon, she rescued Serendipity, and other bunnies retrieved the two with the rope."  
  
    Judy took a deep breath and sighed with contentment. "With Serendipity restored to the Earth, surprises and delight soon followed once more. Artemis spent the rest of her days shooting exploding arrows into the moon, darkening a section of it to resemble a bunny hunched over a mortar and pestle, making mochi." She gestured at the moon to show that from a certain perspective, this is indeed what it looked like. "She did this to remind the bunnies of the Earth that life is so much more exciting with unexpected surprises, and that we should appreciate that and hold it dear."  
  
    There was some light applause at this story.  
  
    "Yeah, there's definitely gonna be some  _fireworks_ tonight," Jenny teased.  
  
    "Jenny, hush," Judy said without even looking at her.   
  
    "But- mrrph...!" Jenny protested, but Bonnie got behind her and put her hand over her mouth. Jenny's eyelids fell halfway and she groaned in defeat.  
  
    Judy stepped back to some more light applause, cheering and a smile from Nick; she glanced back lovingly. The fox stepped forward.  
  
    "The Moon," Nick began. "Do you ever wonder why wolves howl at it? I did, and I couldn't understand it for a long time. When I looked it up, science would have you believe that back in prehistory, wolves and other proto-canids howled at to signal each other, as a sense of fellowship and belonging. Howling also served as a warning to other encroaching rivals." Nick shook his head and shrugged. "I know a religious wolf, though, who would have you believe differently. Some pious wolves believe that they are the closest to the canid deity Karma, that she has left their mark deeply on them."  
  
    "Howling at the moon as a way for wolves to communicate their supposedly inborn gratitude for the Moon. The Moon, which is said to be a gift from Karma herself. It's bright, silver circle revolving around the Earth with constancy and purpose, always watching it, like a trustworthy companion, a suitable compliment... or a loving mate." He smiled gratefully at Judy, who looked away slightly and blushed. "Science has told us that without the moon, there would be no tides, and giant windstorms would prevail, making life as we know it impossible. Karma gave it to us to provide stability. Everything Karma does is about a cycle, a circle, a returning to the point of origin. The Moon's phases, the tides, all of that serves to reflect this."  
  
    "And so," Nick went on, taking a deep breath, "It's with some sense of... humility... that I do this." The fox shot a look to his new bunny wife and smiled nervously. She returned a bright, confident smile, nodding.   
  
     _"AwoooOOOO!"_ Nick tossed his head back and let loose a howl, earning a few confused looks from onlooking bunnies. Judy quickly joined in the howl, tossing her head back and howling with all her vigor. Joining in next were some other canid guests, and then even a few bunnies gave it a try. Ivory in particular scoffed, but figuring she'd never get a chance to do something like this again, she joined in the howling, only stopping when she got a poke in the ribs from a widely grinning Jenny. She gave her a furious glare, but after some consideration she resumed howling, and Jenny finally joined in with her own shrill, energetic howl.  
  
    Off in the distance, Stu chuckled, standing near an arrangement of fireworks he and Jayce had set up.   
  
    "Well son, that's the signal!" Stu chuckled. Jayce nodded, starting the show of fireworks, which burst in the background near the full moon. Stu started forward at the loud report of the first explosion behind him. "Whoa! That was... quite a big explosion. I didn't think we had a firework that massive!"  
  
    "It's called a surprise, dad," Jayce winked. " _Boom_."


End file.
